Gameday: Phillies (50-57) vs Giants (47-59)
Philadelphia Phillies (50-57) vs San Francisco Giants (47-59)
Cole Hamels (4-13, 4.09) vs Matt Cain (6-6, 4.79 ERA)
Time: 7:05 Citizens Bank Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 79, storms possible
The Phillies still have a chance to win their three game series with the Giants on Thursday in a rubber match that features two very good but underperforming pitchers.
Left hander Cole Hamels will take the baseball for the Phillies, looking for his fifth win of the season. Hamels was the tough luck loser his last time out against the Tigers, where he allowed just two runs in seven innings of work but got only one run from the offense in support. Hamels’ last start against San Francisco was last season, where interestingly enough, he squared off against Matt Cain and the two homered off each other. Hamels allowed five runs in 7 2/3 innings in that game, and overall in his career is 5-3 with a 4.14 ERA against San Francisco.
Cain comes into the game for the Giants coming off one of his best starts of the season, in which he allowed just a run and struck out seven over seven innings against the Cubs, but also lost due to poor run support. Despite the strong start last week, he has allowed 14 earned runs in 15 innings in his four starts in July.
Chase Utley has hit exceptionally well of Cain in his career, with a team leading four homers and eight RBI in 26 at bats against the Giants righty. Jimmy Rollins and Laynce Nix also have both homered off Cain, and Nix holds the highest average against him (.348) of any current Phillie with ten or more at bats.
Lineup: Rollins SS, M. Young 1B, Utley 2B, Ruf LF, Asche 3B, Mayberry CF, Nix RF, Ruiz C, Hamels P.
This strange beer brings out the classic blackberry flavor with hints of citrus. The blackberry flavor is fairly strong and very unique, especially paired with the fact that it is not brewed with traditional hops, but with coriander instead. When the team isn’t going too well maybe it is time to shake things up and try something unconventional.
