Series Preview: Brewers at Phillies May 31-June 2

Here's a quick rundown on the pitching match ups and some stats from the upcoming three-game series that begins on Friday between the Milwaukee Brewers (19-33) and the Phillies (26-28) at Citizens Bank Park..

In seven meetings between these two teams last year, the Phils were victorious five times.

Friday, 7:05 PM. Yovani Gallardo (3-5, 4.79 ERA) vs. Cole Hamel (1-8, 4.43 ERA). In three career starts against the Phillies, Gallardo is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA and a .153 batting average against. In four road starts this season, Gallardo has a 1-3 record with a 5.32 ERA. Ryan Howard is 3-for-8 (.375 avg) with a double and a homer in his career against the righty Gallardo. In five home starts this year, Hamels has a 0-4 record along with a 5.35 ERA. Hamels is 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA in 10 career regular season games against the Brewers in his career. Ryan Braun is 7-for-25 (.280 avg) with a double and three homers in his career against Hamels.

Saturday, 4:05 PM. Mike Fiers (1-3, 5.66 ERA) vs. Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 5.74 ERA). The right-handed Fiers was a 22nd round draft pick by Milwaukee in 2009. In five road games this season, Fiers is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA. This will be Cloyd's first home start this year, after posting a 7.80 ERA in three home starts last season. Opponents have posted a .275 batting average against Cloyd in nine big league outings.

Sunday, 1:35 PM. Willy Peralta (3-6, 6.35 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (6-2, 2.34 ERA). Peralta, a 24-year-old right-hander, is 1-2 with a 5.32 ERA in four road games this year. Peralta is 0-3 with a 10.03 ERA over his last three starts. In five career starts against Milwaukee, Lee has a 0-1 record along with a 5.08 ERA. In his last five starts, Lee has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.15 ERA. Rickie Weeks is 1-for-10 (.100 avg) in his career against Lee.

23-year-old shortstop Jean Segura is leading the National League in hitting with a .358 mark. The Dominican native was acquired as part of last summer's Zack Greinke trade with the Angels.

In 22 career games against the Phillies, Carlos Gomez has a .212 average with two homers and six RBI.

Ryan Braun is a career .388 hitter with 14 home runs and 28 RBI against the Phillies in 38 regular season games.

In five career games against the Brewers, Domonic Brown is 5-for-17 (.294 avg) with a double and four RBI. Brown is batting .256 with seven homers and 14 RBI in 24 home games this season.

Ben Revere is batting .324 with five stolen bases in 25 games this month. Revere is a .294 hitter in 12 career games against Milwaukee.

In 72 career regular season games against the Brewers, Jimmy Rollins has a .224 average with five home runs and 20 RBI.

Brewers team ERA- 4.55 (27th in MLB)
Phillies team ERA- 4.24 (20th in MLB)

Eric B Needs to be Cut (and My Name is Rakim)

While the Phillies are on a hot streak this month, one player on the team is not. Eric Bruntlett is 1-for-12 in July. Since the start of May, Bruntlett's apex in batting average has been .167 on June 14th. Bruntlett's ineptitude can be tolerated no longer. Get rid of this guy NOW! Eric B. is the 2009 Endy Chavez. Remember Endy...the guy who in 2005 managed just 2 hits in his final 42 games played as a Phillie? That is about the sort of output the Phillies are getting from Bruntlett, and it's time to fix this void. Julio Lugo was designated for assignment last week by the Red Sox and is expected to become a free agent. The Metropolitans are rumored to be interested. Why wouldn't the Phillies be interested in a guy who could surely outhit Bruntlett? Lugo was hitting .284 through 37 games played this season with Boston. Suspended Lehigh Valley IronPig Pablo Ozuna is eligible to return next Wednesday. Ozuna is batting .294 through 51 games at triple A. Miguel Cairo is also...

Yankees Fans Misled By Pepsi Promotion

**** Today, New York Yankees fans attended a Pepsi promotion in Times Square hoping for chances to win opening day tickets to the new stadium, but the tickets, which were difficult to track down due to poor organization on Pepsi's part, were actually for a game in June. Furthermore, the 250 pairs that were promised were actually only 100 pairs. The fans, who were made to sprint through traffic over multiple city blocks when locations for the promotion changed, quickly turned against the soda brand by pooring out their beverages and chanting anti-Pepsi phrases. Yankees fans are even threatening a boycott of Pepsi. An appearance by Yankee great Goose Gossage could not even settle the angry mob, as he had to be whisked away, as a precaution, according to the Daily News . Ooo , I'd hate to see what "the worst fans in sports" (Philadelphia fans) would have done to their free Pepsi cans and beloved reliever in that situation. Because this happened in a non-Philly city, th...

5th spot, Wall, Old timers, Links

The race for the Phillies' fifth starter spot is still on. While it's not fully fair to compare Grapefruit League stats, when some of the pitchers have had "B game" and scrimmage outings mixed in, Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco look to be falling behind Chan Ho Park and "Jay" Happ. Happ added to his solid Grapefruit League stats (2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP in 4 games) today against the Rays. Pitching coach Rich Dubee had been displeased with Kendrick even before he surrendered 8 earned runs in 3 innings of work yesterday against the Braves. Park has been working on improving his change up, with (Coach) Jamie Moyer. Park noticed Moyer's location control on his change, so he sought out Moyer to teach him the grip and positioning of the ball. Moyer, of course, feels good about helping anyone on the Phils' staff. Park has been coached by greats like Nolan Ryan with the Rangers and Sandy Koufax with the Dodgers, so Moyer is in great company. Park is working h...

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