Two teams going in opposite directions meet at historic Fenway Park for a three-game interleague set.
Philadelphia Phillies at Boston Red Sox
Philadelphia was shutout for the seventh time this season and now head to face one of the hottest teams in baseball. The Phillies are on pace for 20 shutouts, which would be the most since being blanked 22 times in 1969. Even with its offensive troubles of the past few weeks, Philadelphia is the only team in baseball to have four different players with 10 home runs this season. The club is currently 3-5 this month (-380), after going 11-15 during the 2009 season in June. Don’t expect things to drastically turn around for the Phillies during interleague play, as they’ve gone 17-30 the past three years (-1,690)
Phillies SP Jamie Moyer is 6-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts this season. The 47-year-old veteran has steadily improved since posting a 2-2 record and 5.25 ERA in four April starts, posting a 3.66 and 2.00 earned-run-average in May and June respectively. In his last six starts, the left-hander has a 2.83 ERA, but the Phillies are just 3-3 over that span. Moyer is 6-12 with a 6.57 ERA in 23 career games (21 starts) against the Red Sox, including a 3-6 mark and 6.43 ERA at Fenway Park in 13 outings (11 starts). He last faced Boston on June 17, 2008, falling 3-0 in defeat at Citizens Bank Park.
Boston has produced a 32-18 record since April 20, good for the best mark in the majors over that span. The starting staff has been instrumental in the team’s resurgence, tossing six innings in 16 of 18 games since May 22, going 13-4 with a 2.63 ERA and 14 quality starts. The Sox offense has been doing its part as well, ranking second in the majors in runs scored, hits, homers and RBI. Boston’s catchers have been very impressive on the offensive end, leading the majors in average, hits and runs. The Red Sox took two of three against the Phillies earlier this season at Citizens Bank Park (+190), while posting a 24-15 record against the American League over the last three years (+390)
Red Sox SP John Lackey is suffering through a sub-par year by his standards, posting a 6-3 record and 4.72 ERA in 12 starts. He picked up a no-decision in his last start, as Boston fell in 11 innings to Baltimore at Camden Yards on June 6. The main problem this year is his .296 opponents batting average is 32 points above his career average. The big right-hander is set to make his third career start against the Phillies and second this season. Lackey squared off against Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels on May 21 at Philadelphia, taking the loss by allowing four runs over five innings. Boston lost his first two home starts of the season, but has won his last four by outscoring the opposition 26-17.
It’s going to be very hard for bettors not to play the home team in this matchup, especially with Boston being 21-6 in its last 27 interleague games as a favorite of -151 to -200. This fits nicely with the team’s 13-8 mark against left-handed starters on the season (+350). Don’t count out the Phillies entirely knowing they are 8-3 in their last 11 series openers and a sparkling 27-11 in Moyer’s last 38 starts when opening a series.
