Gameday: Phillies (48-48) vs. Mets (41-50)
Philadelphia Phillies (48-48) vs. New York Mets (41-50)
Kyle Kendrick (8-6, 3.68 ERA) vs. Jeremy Hefner (4-6, 3.33 ERA)
TIME: 7:10
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 97, humid, sunny
After a much needed break following three games in 24 hours, the Phillies return to action tonight in New York to kick of a nine game road trip with a three game series against the Mets. The Phillies, who finally reached the .500 mark right before the break, will look to get over that mark for the first time since early June.
Kyle Kendrick will get the ball for the Phillies in their opener tonight at Citi Field. He is coming off a terrific start against the Nationals where he earned the win after going seven innings and allowing just a run on five hits. It was Kendrick’s 13th quality start in 19 total starts this year. He last pitched against the Mets on April 26, where he tossed a complete game shutout for the only time this season, and allowed just three hits.
Opposing Kendrick will be Mets right hander Jeremy Hefner, who has been pitching extremely well of late. In his last four starts he has allowed fewer than three runs and five hits in all of them, and holds a 1.67 ERA over that stretch. Hefner did face the Phillies twice this season, yielding five runs in three innings back in April, but also holding them to just three runs in a Mets win on June 21.
Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Domoniv Brown have all fared well against Hefner throughout their careers. Rollins is hitting .415 (5-for-11) with two doubles and an RBI, Utley is 2-for-8 with a homer and three RBI and Brown is 4-for-4 with a homer, five RBI and two walks against the Mets right hander. All of them are in the lineup tonight, and here is how the remainder of the lineup looks:
Lineup: Rollins SS, Young 3B, Utley 2B, Brown LF, Ruf 1B, D. Young RF, Mayberry CF, Ruiz C, Kendrick P
There is nothing better than a Philadelphia-brewed beer to keep you at home while the team starts on a long road trip. This summer ale has a nice floral, citrus taste with medium hops to bring a very lightly bitter and refreshing taste. It’s tough to go wrong with any local brew, and one that has a baseball surrounding the name (and I think a silhouette of Ryan Howard) is the perfect summer beer for the game.
