Padres at Phillies
After
serving his five-game suspension, Cole Hamels will look to continue his
mastery of his hometown team on Sunday when the Philadelphia Phillies
host the visiting San Diego Padres in the rubber game of their series.
Hamels was handed his punishment by Major League Baseball after the 2008
World Series MVP admitted he intentionally threw at Washington rookie
Bryce Harper.
Jesus Guzman's pinch-hit sacrifice fly plated
Cameron Maybin in the seventh inning as San Diego posted a 2-1 triumph
Saturday. The victory was the Padres' fourth in 18 games versus
Philadelphia, which has dropped four of its last five contests. The lone
bright spot came in Friday's series opener as Carlos Ruiz and John
Mayberry Jr. belted two-run homers and drove in three runs apiece in the
Phillies' 7-3 win.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, WB17 (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Jeff Suppan (2-0, 0.90 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (4-1, 2.45)
Suppan
has struggled mightily when he faces Philadelphia, posting a 3-7 mark
with a gaudy 6.62 ERA and 1.86 WHIP. The 37-year-old has fared well this
season in two starts, yielding one earned run and eight hits in 10
total innings. Suppan allowed one run on four hits in five innings as
San Diego posted a 3-1 triumph over Colorado on Tuesday.
Hamels,
who is a San Diego native, improved to 7-2 in his career against the
Padres after handcuffing them through six innings April 20. The
28-year-old breezed past Washington in his last start after yielding one
run on five hits in eight innings.
WALK-OFFS
1.
Philadelphia veteran Placido Polanco sits one hit shy of 2,000 for his
career, but is 1-for-15 versus Suppan. Shane Victorino is both 4-for-8
in the series and his career against the veteran hurler.
2.
Maybin is essentially the lone Padre who has fared well versus Hamels,
going 7-for-22 with three doubles in his career. Yonder Alonso, who is
riding a nine-game hitting streak, is 1-for-5 in his career against
Hamels.
3. Failing to score with runners in scoring position
plagued Philadelphia on Saturday. Ty Wigginton had a disastrous night,
leaving nine men on base.