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With an opportunity to lock down a postseason spot, the Braves (86-64) head to Philadelphia to begin a three-game series against the Phillies (76-74).  Despite a recent hot streak, during which the Phils have posted a 13-5 record this month and climbed to within 4 games of the National League's second Wild Card spot, the defending five-time NL East division champions are at risk of missing the playoffs, with three teams ahead of them for the a postseason berth and less than two weeks left in the regular season. Prior to the series opener, the Phillies will honor future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones , as the switch-hitter continues his fair well tour around the league. Read ahead to check out details on the pitching match ups and other key statistical notes from this series.  Friday, 7:05 PM.  Tommy Hanson (12-8, 4.33 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (9-11, 3.95 ERA).   Hanson has a 2-2 record with a 3.06 ERA in 9 career starts against the Phillies.  In 15 road ...

Last season the St. Louis Cardinals ousted the Philadelphia Phillies from the postseason, en route to a surprising World Series victory.  In the first rematch between the two teams, since that National League Division Series which the Cards won 3-2, the Phillies will visit St. Louis' Busch Stadium to begin a four-game series on Thursday night. Currently, the Cardinals (25-19) have maintained the level of success that took them deep into the October playing schedule last year, as they hold the top spot in the National League Central division, despite losing top slugger Albert Pujols to free agency, following their 2012 title run.  Meanwhile, the Phillies (22-23) have been missing a pair of injured stars, namely Ryan Howard and Chase Utley , and haven't been able to stay atop the NL East division that they have won each of the past five season. Philadelphia currently occupies the bottom spot in the five-team division. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups a...

Each team will send its top hurler to the mound in the opener of a 3-games series on Monday night, although just one of the two has pitched like an ace thus far in 2012. Philadelphia's perennial Cy Young Award contender Roy Halladay will take the mound at San Francisco's AT&T Park against the Giants in game 1. Halladay is coming off two great outings against the Pirates and the Marlins to begin the season. The Giants will counter with two-time former National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum , who is fresh off the shortest outing of his career, after allowing 6 earned runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Rockies on April 11th. This will mark the pair's first meeting in the regular season. The Phillies won 4 of 7 meetings with the Giants last season, including 3 of 4 in San Francisco. Read ahead for more details on the pitching match ups and loads more stats for this series. Monday, 10:15 PM. Roy Halladay (2-0, 0.60 ERA) vs. Tim Lincecum (0-1, 12.91 ERA). In 3 ca...

In a trade with the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies have acquired multi-positional veteran Ty Wigginton . A 10-year Major Leaguer, Wigginton is a .265 career hitter with 158 homeruns with six different teams. The 34-year-old first baseman/second baseman/third basemen/outfielder joins a Phillies team that was in need of a versatile offensive threat such as Wigginton that could fill in for the likes of Ryan Howard , Chase Utley and Placido Polanco and become a solid presence in the five-time defending National League East division champions' lineup. The right-handed hitting Wigginton, who stands 6 feet tall and weighs 230 pounds, is slated to earn $4 million in 2012 with a club option for the same amount in 2013, with a $500,000 buyout. In the deal, the Phillies are reportedly getting back $2 million, so essentially, Philadelphia will pay Wigginton $2 million in 2012. In return the Phillies will send back a player to be named later or cash. The addition is a very good one for ...

Are you aware that the Phillies once had a shortstop named Heinie? Oh, well they did. From 1923-1928, John Henry "Heinie" Sand played up the middle for the Phils. Heinie was a popular nickname in MLB, during the early 20th century, for players of German descent. Sand is best known for his role in exposing a betting scandal in 1924 that implicated an ex-Phillie. Late that season, the Phillies were out of the playoff hunt, but the Giants were locked in a tight pennant race. Prior to a game, with 3 days left in the season, Heinie Sand was approached by Giants reserve outfielder, Jimmy O'Connell. O'Connell and Sand knew each other from their youth, as they both grew up in San Francisco. O'Connell offered Sand $500 if he "didn't bear down too hard". The games were all crucial for the Giants at that stage, but Sand refused and notified the Phillies manager, Art Fletcher, later that night. An investigation followed, and O'Connell would later confess an...