Series Preview: Reds at Phillies, Aug 20-23

The Phillies (56-65) return home to host the National League Central division leading Reds (74-48) in a four-game series beginning on Monday evening at Citizens Bank Park.

Cincinnati is hot of late, winning 8 of their past 10 contests and 12 of their past 16 games on the road. The Phils are also getting it done lately, especially at home, where the team has been victorious in 9 of their last 13 games.

The Reds lost three of four games in Philadelphia last season and were swept by the Phils in a four game series in Cincinnati late in 2011.

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

Monday, 7:05 PM. Mike Leake (5-7, 4.29 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (6-7, 3.80 ERA). The right-handed Leake has a 3-3 record with a 3.13 ERA in 10 road starts this season. Leake, the Reds' 1st round draft choice from 2009, has a 1-1 record with a 5.16 ERA over his past 4 starts. Brian Schneider is 4-for-9 (.444 avg) with a HR in his career against Leake. Halladay is 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA in 6 career regular season starts against the Reds. Halladay is 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 3 starts this month.

Tuesday, 7:05 PM. Homer Bailey (10-8, 4.16 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (2-7, 3.83 ERA). Bailey, the Reds' 1st round draft pick in 2004, is 1-2 with an 8.24 ERA over his previous 4 starts. In 11 starts on the road this season, Bailey is sporting a 7-2 record with a 2.92 ERA. Chase Utley is 2-for-14 (.167 avg) in his regular season career against Bailey. In 9 home starts this season, Lee is 0-5 with a 4.59 ERA. Scott Rolen is 8-for-17 (.471 avg) with 3 doubles and a HR in his career against Lee.

Wednesday, 7:05 PM. Bronson Arroyo (9-7, 3.96 ERA) vs. Vance Worley (6-8, 4.11 ERA). In 4 August starts, Arroyo is 3-1 with a 4.91 ERA. In 13 road starts this year, Arroyo has a 6-5 record with a 3.60 ERA. Jimmy Rollins is 6-for-15 (.400 avg) with a double and 2 HR in regular season action against Arroyo. Worley is 2-4 with a 5.20 ERA in 11 home starts this season. In 7 starts since the All-Star break, Worley has a 2-3 record with a 5.35 ERA.

Thursday, 7:05 PM. Johnny Cueto (16-6, 2.44 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (14-6, 2.94 ERA). In 7 games since the All-Star break, Cueto has a 6-1 record with a 2.55 ERA. Cueto is 7-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 14 road games this season. In 10 career starts against Cincinnati, including the postseason, Hamels has an 8-0 record and a 1.26 ERA. Hamels is 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in his last 3 starts.

In 47 career regular season games against the Phillies, Rolen has a .322 batting average with 4 HR and 31 RBI. Rolen is batting .363 in 25 games since the All-Star break.

Jay Bruce's 25 HR are third best in the National League. In 16 career regular season games at Citizens Bank Park, Bruce has a .224 average with 4 homers and 12 RBI.

Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman has a 0.67 ERA in 26 games on the road this season. Overall this season, opponents are batting .132 against Chapman.

Jimmy Rollins is a career .287 hitter in 70 regular season games against the Reds. Rollins is 11-for-66 (.167 avg) in August.

Placido Polanco, who is set to return from the disabled list on Monday, is a .313 hitter in 81 career regular season games against the Reds. Polanco has a .287 average with 2 home runs and 14 RBI in 40 home games this year.

Laynce Nix is batting .174 in 18 home games this year. The lefty hitting Nix has a .136 batting average with no home runs in 33 career games at Citizens Bank Park.

Reds runs scored in August- 88 (8th in MLB)
Phillies runs scored in August- 60 (26th in MLB)
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