Philadelphia Phillies (44-26) AT Seattle Mariners (35-34)
June 17, 2011 at 10:10 PM EST
Opening Moneyline:  EVEN
Current Moneyline:  SEA -114, PHI -105
Opening Total:  6.5
Current Total: 6.5

SP:  PHI- Roy Oswalt; SEA- Michael Pineda

The Phillies have been the best team in baseball so far and are now riding a 7 game win streak.  Extending it to 8 might not be easy in light of who they are facing at the mound.  Rookie Michael Pineda has been very impresssive this season and sports a 6-4 record with a 2.74 ERA.

Pineda started the year 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA, but has struggled recently in dropping his last two decisions in poor fashion as his ERA has crept up over half a run as he gave up 4.07 Earned Runs in those outings. Still, he figures to be in the discussion for Rookie of the Year honors.  The Phillies have never faced Pineda.

Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel sees the makings of perhaps another championship run for the Phillies.  “If we score some runs and play the way we can, we’ve got a chance to have a very special season,” manager Charlie Manuel told the Phillies’ official website.

The Phillies are, however, only 1-5 against the Seattle Mariners in franchise history, but the teams haven’t squared off since 2005.

Phillies’ slugger Ryan Howard has been on fire.  He homered in the win over the Florida Marlins last night and his batting .400 with 2 HRs over his last 6 games, and he has also recorded 15 RBIs over the past 13 games.  He has never faced the Mariners in his career.

Seattle is perfect in interleague play this season, as the just swept the Padres last month.  The Mariners are also 13-5 at home against NL opponents since 2009.

Roy Oswalt will take the mound for the Phillies.  He’s been good as usual with a 3.14 ERA, but due to lack of run support has only won 4 of his 8 decisions.  He gave up 3 runs in 7 innings in the 4-3 victory over the Cubs on Sunday and is 11-10 in 29 career interleague starts with a 3.64 ERA over those games.  He is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in his two starts against teh Mariners.

Some betting trends:

Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games and the total has gone OVER In 5 of their last 7 on the road.  The Phillies are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 6 against the Seattle Mariners.  The Phillies are 1-5 SU in their last 6 against Seattle.

Seattle is 10-5 SU in their last 15 home games and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 6 at home.  The total has also gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle’s last 6 games against the Phillies and the Mariners are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games against the Philadelphia Phillies.

This should turn out to be quite a pitchers’ duel, and the total is set low accordingly at 6.5.  When betting opened, it was at even odds, and it still is pretty much.  I like the Mariners due to Pineda’s pitching and feel that he may outwit the veteran Oswalt in the battle at the mound tonight.