The Indians (26-42) visit Philadelphia this week to take on the defending National League champion Phillies (35-32) in a 3-game series. Cleveland is in last place in the American League Central, 13 1/2 games behind division leaders Minnesota. The Phillies are in third place in the National League East, 5 1/2 games behind the first place Braves.
The Phillies have lost 17 of their past 26 games, without perennial lead off man Jimmy Rollins. Rollins has been sidelined with a calf strain for the past month. Rollins is expected to be activated from the disabled list and return to the Phillies' lineup for this series.
The Phillies are just 17-15 (.531 winning %) at Citizens Bank Park this season, a place where they posted a .555 winning percentage last season. Philadelphia will have to start performing better at home if they hope to gain ground on top spot in the division.
Cleveland will send Matt Talbot, who surrendered a career high 13 hits in his last start against the Metropolitans, to the mound for the series opener. Philadelphia will counter with Jamie Moyer, who held the Yankees to 2 runs on 3 hits over 8 innings in his previous outing.
Details on the pitching match ups for this series as well as other key stats from this series lie ahead.
Tuesday, 7:05pm. Matt Talbot (7-5, 4.21 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (7-6, 4.76 ERA). In 6 road starts this season, Talot is 4-2 with a 2.56 ERA. Over his last 6 starts, Talbot's ERA is 5.50. Talbot, a righty hurler has held left-handed opponents to a .217 batting average this season. Moyer is 7-0 with a 2.33 ERA over his last 11 starts against Cleveland. Not considering Moyer's 1 IP/9 ER outing vs. the Red Sox on June 11th, his ERA over his past 7 starts is 2.68. In 5 home starts this season, Moyer has posted a 3-2 record with a 3.41 ERA. Austin Kearns is 7-for-16 (.438 avg) with 2 doubles and a triple against Moyer in his career.
Wednesday, 7:05pm. Jake Westbrook (4-4, 4.76 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (4-2, 4.48 ERA). Westbrook has a 3-2 record with a 4.50 ERA in 8 road starts this season. Over his last 5 starts, Westbrook's ERA is 5.08. Raul Ibanez is 8-for-24 (.333 avg) with 2 doubles and a homer against Westbrook in his career. In 6 home starts this season, Kendrick is 2-2 with a 6.32 ERA. Over his last 5 starts, Kendrick has posted a 2.33 ERA. Austin Kearns is 2-for-11 (.182 avg) in his career vs. Kendrick.
Thursday, 1:05pm. Fausto Carmona (6-5, 3.31 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (2-5, 6.96 ERA). Carmona is 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 7 road starts this season. Over his last 9 starts, Carmona's ERA is 2.90. In 4 day starts this season, Carmona is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA. Placido Polanco is 3-for-18 (.188 avg) against Carmona in his career. In his career against the Indians, Blanton is 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 8 starts. Blanton is 1-2 with a 5.28 ERA through 5 home starts this season. Blanton has a 7.46 ERA in 6 day starts this season. Jhonny Peralta is 9-for-23 (.391 avg) with 2 doubles and 2 homeruns against Blanton in his career.
Indians closer Kerry Wood is 4-1 with a save and a 3.74 ERA in 8 games against the Phillies. Wood has a 1.50 ERA in 6 road games this season, compared to his 12.27 ERA in 9 home games this year. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Brian Schneider are a combined 1-for-19 (.053 avg) against Wood.
Jhonny Peralta, in 3 games against the Phillies is 5-for-13 (.385 avg) with 3 doubles.
Shin-Soo Choo is batting .235 with a .625 OPS in 35 road games this season.
Former Phillie prospect Jason Donald, who is a righty hitter, is batting just .179 with a .530 OPS against right-handed pitchers in 31 games this season.
In 30 home games this season, Chase Utley is batting .317, compared to his .228 avg. in 35 road games this year. Utley has hit just 1 HR in his last 27 games.
In 16 career games against Cleveland, Jose Contreras is 7-3 with a 3.26 ERA. Contreras has a 4.00 ERA at home this season, compared to a 1.35 ERA on the road.
Ryan Howard has successfully hit in all 9 home games played in June. He has a .395 batting average during that stretch.
Indians team batting avg.- .249
Phillies team batting avg.- .256
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The Phillies have lost 17 of their past 26 games, without perennial lead off man Jimmy Rollins. Rollins has been sidelined with a calf strain for the past month. Rollins is expected to be activated from the disabled list and return to the Phillies' lineup for this series.
The Phillies are just 17-15 (.531 winning %) at Citizens Bank Park this season, a place where they posted a .555 winning percentage last season. Philadelphia will have to start performing better at home if they hope to gain ground on top spot in the division.
Cleveland will send Matt Talbot, who surrendered a career high 13 hits in his last start against the Metropolitans, to the mound for the series opener. Philadelphia will counter with Jamie Moyer, who held the Yankees to 2 runs on 3 hits over 8 innings in his previous outing.
Details on the pitching match ups for this series as well as other key stats from this series lie ahead.
Tuesday, 7:05pm. Matt Talbot (7-5, 4.21 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (7-6, 4.76 ERA). In 6 road starts this season, Talot is 4-2 with a 2.56 ERA. Over his last 6 starts, Talbot's ERA is 5.50. Talbot, a righty hurler has held left-handed opponents to a .217 batting average this season. Moyer is 7-0 with a 2.33 ERA over his last 11 starts against Cleveland. Not considering Moyer's 1 IP/9 ER outing vs. the Red Sox on June 11th, his ERA over his past 7 starts is 2.68. In 5 home starts this season, Moyer has posted a 3-2 record with a 3.41 ERA. Austin Kearns is 7-for-16 (.438 avg) with 2 doubles and a triple against Moyer in his career.
Wednesday, 7:05pm. Jake Westbrook (4-4, 4.76 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (4-2, 4.48 ERA). Westbrook has a 3-2 record with a 4.50 ERA in 8 road starts this season. Over his last 5 starts, Westbrook's ERA is 5.08. Raul Ibanez is 8-for-24 (.333 avg) with 2 doubles and a homer against Westbrook in his career. In 6 home starts this season, Kendrick is 2-2 with a 6.32 ERA. Over his last 5 starts, Kendrick has posted a 2.33 ERA. Austin Kearns is 2-for-11 (.182 avg) in his career vs. Kendrick.
Thursday, 1:05pm. Fausto Carmona (6-5, 3.31 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (2-5, 6.96 ERA). Carmona is 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 7 road starts this season. Over his last 9 starts, Carmona's ERA is 2.90. In 4 day starts this season, Carmona is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA. Placido Polanco is 3-for-18 (.188 avg) against Carmona in his career. In his career against the Indians, Blanton is 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 8 starts. Blanton is 1-2 with a 5.28 ERA through 5 home starts this season. Blanton has a 7.46 ERA in 6 day starts this season. Jhonny Peralta is 9-for-23 (.391 avg) with 2 doubles and 2 homeruns against Blanton in his career.
Indians closer Kerry Wood is 4-1 with a save and a 3.74 ERA in 8 games against the Phillies. Wood has a 1.50 ERA in 6 road games this season, compared to his 12.27 ERA in 9 home games this year. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Brian Schneider are a combined 1-for-19 (.053 avg) against Wood.
Jhonny Peralta, in 3 games against the Phillies is 5-for-13 (.385 avg) with 3 doubles.
Shin-Soo Choo is batting .235 with a .625 OPS in 35 road games this season.
Former Phillie prospect Jason Donald, who is a righty hitter, is batting just .179 with a .530 OPS against right-handed pitchers in 31 games this season.
In 30 home games this season, Chase Utley is batting .317, compared to his .228 avg. in 35 road games this year. Utley has hit just 1 HR in his last 27 games.
In 16 career games against Cleveland, Jose Contreras is 7-3 with a 3.26 ERA. Contreras has a 4.00 ERA at home this season, compared to a 1.35 ERA on the road.
Ryan Howard has successfully hit in all 9 home games played in June. He has a .395 batting average during that stretch.
Indians team batting avg.- .249
Phillies team batting avg.- .256
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