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Series Preview: Phillies at Giants, 8/4-8/7

After finishing off a series sweep in Colorado, the Phillies (71-39) travel further west to face the club that knocked them out of the post-season last year, the San Francisco Giants (62-49).

In the opener of the four-game set, the Phillies will send lefty All-star Cliff Lee, who lost two games against the Giants in the World Series last year, to the mound. The Giants will counter with Madison Bumgarner, who let up 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Phillies in last season's National League Championship Series.

Both teams sit atop their respective divisions. San Francisco won 2 of 3 games when the two clubs met last week in Philadelphia.

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


Thursday, 10:15PM. Cliff Lee (10-7, 3.14 ERA) vs. Madison Bumgarner (6-10, 3.80 ERA). In 3 career regular season games against San Francisco, Lee has a 3-0 record with a 1.13 ERA. In his last 5 starts, Lee is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA. Lee is 2-5 with a 4.55 ERA in 9 road starts this year. In 11 home starts this season, Bumgarner has a 3-5 record with a 4.60 ERA and a .310 batting average against. Bumgarner has a 3-1 record with a 5.79 ERA in his last 5 home starts.

Friday, 10:15PM. Vance Worley (7-1, 2.33 ERA) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (4-5, 3.81 ERA). Worley faced the Giants on July 26th and allowed just 3 hits in 9 innings. In his last 8 Major League starts, Worley has posted a 5-0 record with a 1.69 ERA. In 7 road games this season, Worley has a 3-1 record with a 2.51 ERA. The lefty Sanchez, who was sidelined since June with a biceps injury, will be returning from the disabled list. In 9 career regular season games against the Phillies, Sanchez has a 3-1 record with a 2.86 ERA.

Saturday, 4:10PM. Cole Hamels (12-6, 2.62 ERA) vs. Matt Cain (9-7, 3.10 ERA). In his last 3 games, Hamels is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA. Hamels has a 5-2 record with a 3.06 ERA in 10 road starts this season. In his last 4 home starts, Cain has a 1-3 record with a 4.74 ERA. Cain earned a win against the Phillies on July 27th, when he allowed no earned runs in 7 innings pitched.

Sunday, Roy Oswalt (4-6, 3.79 ERA) vs. Tim Lincecum (9-9, 2.77 ERA). Oswalt will be returning from the disabled list after dealing with lower back issues. In 8 road starts this season, Oswalt has a 2-4 record with a 4.12 ERA. Carlos Beltran is 10-for-27 (.370 avg) in his career against Oswalt. Lincecum has posted a 1.73 ERA over his last 9 starts. In 11 home starts this season, Lincecum is 3-5 with a 3.36 ERA. In 8 career regular season games against the Phillies, Lincecum has held them to a .194 ERA.


Jimmy Rollins has posted a .247 batting average in 19 games since the All-star Break. In 3 games against the Giants this year, Rollins is 1-for-12 (.083 avg).

In 16 road games this season, Ryan Madson has 9 saves and a 1.15 ERA. Madson has a 1.17 ERA and has held batters to a .154 batting average in 8 games since the All-star Break.

Raul Ibanez has a .206 batting average in 21 career regular season games against the Giants.

In 31 home games this season, Pablo Sandoval is batting .333 with 3 HR and 17 RBI.

Carlos Beltran has posted a .298 average and a .933 OPS in 16 games since the All-star Break. Beltran is a .330 hitter in 25 career games at AT&T Park.

In 10 career regular season games against the Phillies, Brian Wilson has a 0-1 record with 6 saves, 2 blown saves and a 5.00 ERA.

Phillies team batting average- .252
Giants team batting average- .240
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