Series Preview: Phillies at Orioles, June 8-10

Interleague play returns as two teams with similar recent success and completely opposite spots in the standings meet for a three-game series this weekend. The Orioles (32-25), who have lost 8 of their last 11 games, sit atop the American League East division (tied with Tampa Bay). Beginning Friday, they will host the Phillies (28-31), who have dropped 6 straight games and are in last place in the National League East division.

While the Phillies have struggled considerably all season, the club has a winning record of 16-12 on the road.

In the opener of the series, the clubs will send two struggling hurlers to the mound as Joe Blanton, who has surrendered 10 home runs in 19 2/3 innings over his last 4 starts, takes on right-hander Jake Arrieta, who has lost three consecutive starts.

Read ahead for more details on the pitching match ups and plenty more details for this series.

Friday, 7:05 PM. Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.27 ERA) vs. Jake Arrieta (2-7, 5.53 ERA). In 6 career starts against Baltimore, Blanton has a 1-2 record with a 5.09 ERA. In his last 4 starts, Blanton is 0-3 with a 10.98 ERA. Opponents are batting .293 against Blanton in 12 games this season. In 6 home starts this year, Arrieta has a 1-4 record with a 6.43 ERA. Arrieta has gone 0-5 with a 7.96 ERA in his last 6 starts.

Saturday, 4:05 PM. Vance Worley (3-2, 3.38 ERA) vs. Tommy Hunter (2-3, 5.59 ERA). Worley has a 2-1 record with a 2.52 ERA in 4 road starts this season. Worley is 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in 3 day starts this season. The righty Hunter is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 5 home starts this season. In his last 6 starts, Hunter is 0-2 with a 6.21 ERA.

Sunday, 1:35 PM. Cliff Lee (0-3, 2.92 ERA) vs. Jason Hammel (6-2, 2.97 ERA). In 4 career starts at Oriole Park, Lee is 2-1 with a 5.26 ERA and a .299 batting average against. Lee has a 2.17 ERA in 4 road starts this season, In 4 career regular season games against the Phillies, Hammel has a 1-2 record with a 6.75 ERA. Hammel is 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 4 home starts this season. Shane Victorino is 5-for-10 (.500 avg) against Hammel in his career.

In 22 career games against the Phillies, Mark Reynolds is a .275 hitter with 7 HR and 18 RBI. Reynolds in batting .195 in 13 home games this season.

Adam Jones leads the Orioles in batting average (.307), HR (16), RBI (35), runs scored (39) and stolen bases (9).

Jim Johnson has saved 18 of 19 chances this season while holding opponents to a .165 batting average. The right-handed Johnson has a 1.08 ERA in 9 home games this year.

In 28 road games this season, Shane Victorino has posted a .221 batting average. Victorino is a .300 hitter with 3 doubles and a homer in 6 career games against the Orioles.

Placido Polanco has a .321 average in 28 career games against the Orioles. Polanco has a .295 average in 16 games at Oriole Park.

In 64 career games in Baltimore, Jim Thome has a .223 batting average with 17 HR and 41 RBI. The 41-year-old Thome is batting .100 thus far on the season.

Phillies team ERA- 3.85 (12th in MLB)
Orioles team ERA- 3.73 (9th in MLB)
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Lidge Shaky, T-Mac Honored in Trenton

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Dear Cardinals fan, When a homerun ball is hit in your direction, do not close your eyes and raise both hands far above your head, leaving your face/chest/neck/head defenseless. Jayson Werth long balls to the cranium are probably not very comfortable. Next time, let the guy in the pajama pants behind you take a crack at it. He may not know how to dress well, but he keeps his eyes open in the face of killer shots from World Champion outfielders. Love, PhoulBallz.com PS- Stay hot.

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