Series Preview: D-Backs at Phillies, 8/16-8/18

As news dropped that Placido Polanco and Cole Hamels will miss time, the Phillies (78-41) are set to begin a three-game series against the playoff contending Arizona Diamondbacks (68-53).

After Polanco worked out on the field at Citizens Bank Park, the team decided to place him on the disabled list. The All-star third baseman, who has been out of action lately with a sports hernia, tested his body with running and fielding drills on Tuesday, but the call was made to officially place him on the DL retroactive to August 7th. Polanco would then be available to return after just five more days. The move allows the Phillies to add a player to the active roster in the meantime. Surgery is likely in Polanco's future, but he prefers to put it off until the off-season and play through it, as the Phillies head toward a fifth straight post-season.

In addition, an MRI on Cole Hamels' ailing left shoulder revealed inflammation and the team has announced that he will skip his next turn in the pitching rotation. Hamels expects to return for a start next week.

In the clash of first place teams, Philadelphia will send Roy Halladay, who has led the Phils to an undefeated record over his last 10 home starts, to the mound, while Arizona counters with rookie hurler Josh Collmenter, who has failed to win in his last 4 road outings.

Read ahead for info on the pitching match ups as well as more stats from this series.

Tuesday, 7:05PM. Josh Collmenter (7-7, 3.51 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (15-4, 2.51 ERA). The righty Collmenter pitched 1 scoreless inning of relief against the Phils earlier this season. In his last 4 outings, Collmenter has a 2-2 record with a 7.20 ERA. Collmenter has a 1-4 record with a 4.10 ERA in 11 appearances on the road this season. Halladay is 4-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last 4 starts. In 13 games at Citizens Bank Park this season, Halladay has an 8-1 record with a 2.26 ERA. In his career against Arizona, Halladay has a 3-0 record with a 2.61 ERA in 3 starts.

Wednesday, 7:05PM. Joe Saunders (8-9, 3.76 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (12-7, 2.83 ERA). In 3 career starts against the Phillies, Saunders has a 1-1 record with a 4.58 ERA and a .312 batting average against. Saunders has a 5-0 record and a 1.47 ERA over his last 6 road starts. Ben Francisco is 5-for-11 (.455 avg) in his career against Joe Saunders. In 13 home starts this year, Lee has posted an 8-2 record with a 2.26 ERA. Lee has a 2-1 record and a 3.43 ERA in 3 career starts against Arizona. Lee has a 1.36 ERA in 7 total August starts as a member of the Phillies.

Thursday, 7:05PM. Ian Kennedy (15-3, 3.12 ERA) vs. Vance Worley (8-1, 2.85 ERA). In his last 7 starts, Kennedy is 7-0 with a 2.44 ERA. The right-handed Kennedy has a 1-0 record with a 1.06 ERA in 2 career starts against Philadelphia. Kennedy sports an 8-1 record with a 3.21 ERA in 11 road starts this season. Worley is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA over his last 4 home starts. Worley has never faced Arizona in his career. In 7 home starts this season, Worley is 4-0 with a 2.20 ERA and a .176 batting average against.

Justin Upton leads the D-Backs in just about every major offensive category and has earned some attention as a MVP Award contender this season. In 15 career games against the Phillies, Upton is a .320 hitter with 2 HR and 5 RBI.

In 13 career games against the Phillies, Gerardo Parra has a .195 batting average and a .597 OPS.

Kelly Johnson is a .241 career hitter in 59 games against the Phillies. In 23 games since the All-star break, Johnson has posted a .176 batting average.

Jimmy Rollins is batting .239 in 58 home games, compared to batting .290 in 57 road games. In 55 career games against Arizona, Rollins has a .317 batting average.

In 24 games since the All-star break, Shane Victorino has posted a .341 batting average and a 1.000 OPS.

Carlos Ruiz is a .348 career hitter with a .971 OPS in 24 games against the D-Backs.
Ruiz is batting .243 in 47 home games this year.

D-Backs team ERA- 4.02
Phillies team ERA- 3.09

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