Gameday: Giants (53-41) at Phillies (41-54)
San Francisco Giants (53-41) at Philadelphia Phillies (41-54)
Barry Zito (8-6, 3.75) vs Joe Blanton (8-8, 4.79)
Time: 1:35, Citizens Bank Park
TV: PHL 17
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 83
Media: Twitter and Facebook
Another game, another blown opportunity for the Phillies’ bullpen. The Phillies must rebound and avoid the sweep today. They’ll rely on Joe Blanton, who is facing his former Oakland teammate, Barry Zito.
With the Athletics in the early-2000s, Zito was one of the top pitchers in baseball. He won the Cy Young Award in 2002. Since he joined the Giants in 2007, Zito hasn’t been the same player. He has failed to have an ERA under 4 every year, and has had seasons where his ERA was over five. However, Zito has been a little better this season, posting a 3.75 ERA.
Joe Blanton needs to build consistency. He will either do extremely well, or have a couple bad innings where he can’t escape a jam. He’s coming off a great start against the Dodgers, and he needs to carry that success into his next start, something he has struggled with all season.
LINEUP: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Pence RF, Polanco 3B, Mayberry LF, Kratz C, Blanton P.
Anchor Steam is a San Franciscan beer, so the matchup is perfect for the series. You can even get some Anchor Steam at Citizens Bank Park if you search for it, although I doubt they’ll have their seasonal blend, Humming Ale. It’s a very bold, hoppy ale and is released between August and November. It’s also fairly new, having first been brewed a few years ago. It has a beautiful, bright golden color and as all Anchor Steam bevies, you’ll likely enjoy the hell out of it. So drink that while the Phils play the G-men. – By Pat
GO PHILLIES!
