Indians at Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are quietly putting together a solid season with eight wins in their last nine games and 14 victories in their last 20 contests. The surging Phillies aim for a series sweep of the visiting Cleveland Indians when the teams square off Sunday afternoon.
Philadelphia has won five straight games - all by scores of 4-3 or 3-0 - and wrapped up April at 14-10 after most experts predicted a 90-loss season. The first two games of this series have been 4-3 decisions, including Saturday's contest in which Freddy Galvis homered and drove in three runs and Jeanmar Gomez improved to 8-for-8 in save opportunities. The Indians, meanwhile, have played five straight one-run games, although they are 1-4 during that stretch. Vince Velasquez gets the nod for the Phillies on Sunday, while the Indians counter with Danny Salazar in an intriguing matchup of young right-handers.
TV: 2:35 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Danny Salazar (2-1, 2.35 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (3-1, 1.78)
Salazar has yet to give up more than three runs in any outing this season, although he has only pitched more than six innings once. He gave up three runs in 4 2/3 innings against Minnesota in his last trip to the mound and also walked four in that outing, giving him 13 in 23 innings. The 26-year-old has gone three straight starts without allowing a home run and has held opponents to a .139 batting average on the year.
Velasquez has been terrific since coming over in last winter's trade that sent Ken Giles to Houston. The 23-year-old has struck out 33 against only six walks and has held the opposition to a .174 batting average through four starts. He gave up three runs in six innings against Washington in his last outing and is succeeding despite the Phillies scoring only nine runs in his four starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Phillies have batted their pitcher eighth in each of the last nine games.
2. Philadelphia OF Odubel Herrera has hit safely in 11 straight games, including 2-for-4 outings in each of the first two games of this series.
3. Indians 2B Jason Kipnis brings a nine-game hitting streak and a five-game RBI streak into Sunday's action.