Philadelphia Phillies (38-32) at Toronto Blue Jays (39-34)
Roy Halladay, RHP (8-6, 2.43 ERA) vs. Jesse Litsch, RHP (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 86
TV: CSN
Twitter: @philliesnation
Today is opposite day in Philadelphia. Ever wonder what it would be like to see the Phillies play at home with the designated hitter while wearing their road grays? Have we got a game for you!
This is home game No. 82 for the Fightin’ Phills, courtesy of the G20 summit taking place in Toronto. Because of security concerns, this weekend’s series has been moved to Philadelphia, though the teams will play by American League rules, making it the first American League home game to take place in Pennsylvania since the Philadelphia White Elephants packed up for Kansas City in 1954, and the first time ever that Philadelphia hosts a major league game that uses the designated hitter.
But apart from that hoopla, the second-biggest story is the first instance where Roy Halladay faces his former team. Halladay has lost his past three starts, in part because in the past month the Phillies have put up less than two runs of support for him on average. Halladay will be opposed by young righty Jesse Litsch. Litsch was solid in his first two major leagues seasons, winning 13 games in 2008, before injuries sidelined him for almost all of 2009 and the first two months of this season as well. Litsch, who is making just his second start of the year, mixes five pitches and has excellent control, though he doesn’t strike many men out.
Toronto is quietly putting up a nice season, with a record that stands five games over .500. However, in the AL East, that’s only good enough for fourth place. If I were Cito Gaston, I don’t know that I’d bother showing up to work.
LINEUP: Rollins SS, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard DH, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Victorino CF, Gload 1B, Schnieder C
Your Gameday Beer– Molson Canadian
This is a truly nonspectacular beer, but I had to get my dig in on those silly Canucks somehow. Not particularly tasty, but certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Sort of stereotypically Canadian, actually. Á votre santé!
– By Michael
Go Phillies!
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