Series Preview: Phillies at Marlins, 7/4-7/6

Division rivals begin a 3-game series on the birthday of the country, as the Phillies (53-32) travel to Florida to take on the Marlins (38-46) on Independence Day.

Florida went 3-22 to begin the month of June, but have gone 4-1 since then. The tough stretch set the Marlins back quite a bit. The club now sits 14 1/2 games behind the division leading Phillies, in last place in the National League East division.

Details on the pitching match ups and loads more key stats from this series lie ahead.

Monday, 6:10PM. Vance Worley (3-1, 2.57 ERA) vs. Ricky Nolasco (5-4, 4.08 ERA). In 2 career games against Florida, Worley is 0-1 with 3.38 ERA. Worley has a 0-1 record with a 5.25 ERA in 4 road appearances this season. Worley is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last 3 starts. In his last 4 starts, Nolasco is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA. Nolasco is 6-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 13 career games against the Phillies. Shane Victorino is 4-for-26 (.154 avg) in his career against Nolasco.

Tuesday, 7:10PM. Cole Hamels (9-4, 2.41 ERA) vs. Chris Volstad (4-7, 5.01 ERA). Hamels, in 17 career starts against the Marlins, is 5-7 with a 3.50 ERA. Hamels has posted a 1.70 ERA over his last 9 starts. Mike Stanton is 2-for-12 (.167 avg) in his career against Hamels. In 11 career starts against the Phillies, the righty Volstad has a 2-4 record with a 5.22 ERA. In his last 3 starts, Volstad is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA. Ryan Howard is 10-for-24 (.500 avg) with 7 HR in his career against Volstad.

Wednesday, 7:10PM. Kyle Kendrick (4-4, 3.81 ERA) vs. Anibal Sanchez (6-2, 3.30 ERA). In 14 career games against the Marlins, Kendrick has posted a 6-2 record with a 4.85 ERA. Kendrick allowed just 1 earned run over 7 innings in his start against the Marlins on June 15th. Kendrick has a 4.61 ERA in 10 road games this year. Gaby Sanchez is 7-for-13 (.538 avg) with a double and a homer in his career against Kendrick. In 13 career starts against the Phillies, Sanchez is 3-7 with a 5.35 ERA. The right-handed Sanchez has posted a 3-0 record and a 2.92 ERA in 8 home starts this season.

Former Phillie Wes Helms is batting .207 in 54 games this season. The righty hitting Helms has a .152 average against right-handed hurlers this season.

In 16 career games against the Phillies, Logan Morrison is 19-for-57 (.333 avg) with 5 doubles, a triple and 3 HR. Morrison has posted a .235 average in 26 home games this season.

Hanley Ramirez is batting .248 in 29 home games this season. The right-handed hitting Ramirez has a .198 batting average against righty pitchers this season.

National League All-star starting third baseman Placido Polanco posted a .398 batting average in April with 2 HR and 19 RBI in 26 games. Since then, in 56 games, he has batted .219 with 2 HR and 20 RBI.

Since starting out this season 6-for-31 (.194 avg), Chase Utley has gone 31-for-103 (.301 avg). Utley has reached base via hit or walk in 11 straight games.

Switch-hitter Shane Victorino is batting .390 against lefty hurlers this season. Victorino is batting .317 in 30 road games this year.

In 6 career games against the Marlins, David Herndon has allowed 7 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings (8.59 ERA) and has served up a .421 batting average against.

Phillies team ERA- 3.08
Marlins team ERA- 3.93

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This Guy Speaks For All of You

This individual, interviewed by FOX 29 on Friday as the Phillies arrived back at Citizens Bank Park, said it best. When asked how he felt regarding the Phillies, he told Steve Keeley that he was, "Stoked, baby!" The unidentified phanatic then proclaimed, "We are talking about the Fightins here, the Fightins! Said!" Check out the media player below, as the transcribed version certainly does not do this phireball of phandom justice. The Phillies forced game 6 of the National League Championship Series with a 4-2 victory over the Giants in San Francisco on Thursday night. Game 6 will feature Roy Oswalt vs. Jonathan Sanchez in a return pitching match up from game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 7:57 pm EST at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Be sure to tune in on 97.3 ESPN's Weekend Sports Guide with Tyrone Johnson this afternoon around 1:15pm to hear me chatting about the Phillies! 97.3 is based in Atlantic City. You can listen live online HERE . _________

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