Series Preview: Braves at Phillies, 7/8-7/10

The teams with the two best records in Major League Baseball will face off this weekend, as the Braves (53-36) travel to Philadelphia to take on the National League East division leading Phillies (55-33).

Philadelphia will head into the three-game series down an all-star. Center fielder Shane Victorino, who was voted into the final NL All-star roster spot by fans this week, was officially placed on the disabled list on Friday. Victorino injured his thumb after stumbling while making a play last Sunday. The right thumb sprain forces Victorino to the disabled list for the second time this season.

Former Brave Pete Orr was recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley to fill Victorino's void.

Atlanta has been victorious in 5 of 9 meetings between the two clubs this season.

Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and other key info for this series.

Friday, 7:05pm. Brandon Beachy (3-1, 3.23 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (11-3, 2.44 ERA). In 4 career starts against the Phillies, Beachy has a 0-3 record with a 5.00 ERA. On the road this season, Beachy has posted a 2-0 record with a 1.50 ERA in 4 starts. Beachy has a .245 ERA in his last 8 starts. Raul Ibanez is 4-for-7 (.571 avg) in his career against Beachy. Halladay has a 4-1 record and a 1.65 ERA in 6 career games against Atlanta. In 10 home starts this year, Halladay has posted a 6-1 record with a 2.44 ERA. Nate McLouth is 1-for-14 (.071 avg) in his career against Halladay.

Saturday, 4:10PM. Tommy Hanson (10-4, 2.52 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (9-6, 2.92 ERA). In his last 5 starts, Hanson is 5-0 with a 1.97 ERA. Hanson sports a 5-2 record and a 2.81 ERA in 8 road starts this season. In 6 career starts against the Phillies, Hanson is 1-2 with a 2.45 ERA and a .241 batting average against. Lee has a 7-1 record and a 1.66 ERA in 10 home starts this season. In 5 starts against the Braves, Lee is 1-3 with a 6.15 ERA.

Sunday, 1:35PM. Derek Lowe (5-6, 4.21 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (10-4, 2.40 ERA). In 20 career games against the Phillies, Lowe has an 8-5 record with a 2.99 ERA. Lowe is 2-2 with a 5.60 ERA in his last 5 starts. Lowe threw 6 shutout innings at Citizens Bank Park earlier this season. Chase Utley is 12-for-30 (.400 avg) with 2 HR in his career against Lowe. In 22 games against the Braves, Hamels is 10-6 with a 3.83 ERA. This season in 10 home starts, Hamels has posted a 5-3 record with a 2.57 ERA. Over his last 10 games, Hamels has produced a 1.76 ERA.

In 46 career games against the Phillies, Nate McLouth has a .196 batting average. McLouth has a .210 batting average in 30 road games this season.

Dan Uggla has a .232 batting average with 20 HR in 97 career games against the Phillies. In 43 road games this season, Uggla is batting .179.

Rookie Craig Kimbrel leads the National League with 27 saves. Kimbrel has not allowed an earned run in 11 career appearances against the Phillies.

All-star third baseman Placido Polanco expects to return to action on Friday, after missing a pair of games with back issues. Polanco is batting .216 since April.

In 9 games against the Braves this season, Jimmy Rollins is 7-for-37 (.189 avg).

Ryan Howard has a .309 average and a 1.028 OPS in 111 career games against the Braves. Howard is batting .327 in 27 day games, while he sports a .228 average in 60 night games in 2011.

Braves team ERA- 3.02
Phillies team ERA- 3.05

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