Gameday: Phillies (5-6) vs. Giants (5-6)
Cliff Lee (0-1, 2.35) vs. Matt Cain (1-0, 3.00)
Time: 10:15 PM, AT&T Park
TV: The Comcast Network
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 52
Media: Twitter and Facebook
Behind the left arm of Cliff Lee, the Phillies will seek their first road series win of the season when they take on the Giants at AT&T Park. Lee has pitched incredibly well in San Francisco during the regular season, going 3-0 in three starts there, with a 0.72 ERA throughout his career. That includes his Phillies debut in 2009, when he went 9 innings, allowing 1 earned run, with 6 strikeouts to 2 walks. He was so dominant that night, that he took a no-no into the sixth inning. The only hiccup Lee has ever had at AT&T Park was in the 2010 World Series, when the Giants touched him up for 6 runs over 4.2 innings.
On the bump for the Giants is the number two man in their own trio of stud pitchers, Matt Cain. Historically, the Phillies have had some success against Cain, as he has gone 1-4 with a 4.17 ERA in seven career regular season starts against them. Cain has had their number in recent years, however, as he’s posted an 0.96 ERA against them in four starts since 2010. That includes a start in the 2010 playoffs, when Cain stifled the Phillies, holding them to two hits and no runs over seven innings.
This game has all the makings of a two-hour, low-scoring affair, as both pitchers have a stellar record against the opponent. It will rest on the at-bats the Phillies are able to put together against Cain. Though it’s counterintuitive, it may behoove the Phils to take some early hacks with Cain–something that should be quite easy for this lineup–as his BB/9 rate has dropped the last few seasons, and he’s currently sporting an 0.60 WHIP over his first two starts of 2012.
Lineup: Pierre LF, Victorino CF, Rollins SS, Pence RF, Wigginton 3B, Nix 1B, Ruiz C, Galvis 2B, Lee P
There’s no better beer on a dank and dreary day than a tall Guinness. Though this beer isn’t an obscure pick, it’s a highly-respected dark stout with a rich flavor that’s bold, and chocolatey. It’s akin to drinking a beer milkshake. If you’re at the bar, and need to decide between buying food or beer, it’s quite filling and can satisfy both needs. Although it goes really well with a side of wings. -By Ryan
GO PHILLIES
