Gameday: Phillies (50-58) vs Braves (64-45)
Philadelphia Phillies (50-58) vs Atlanta Braves (64-45)
Ethan Martin (11-5, 4.12 ERA in AAA) vs Kris Medlen (7-10, 3.74 ERA)
Time: 7:05 Citizens Bank Park
Tv: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 85, sunny
The Phillies open a three game series with the first place Atlanta Braves on Friday night, still looking for their first series win since before the All-Star break. After a tough loss last night, the Phillies have now dropped 10 of their last 11 games.
Right-hander Ethan Martin will be making his major league debut tonight for the Phils, coming off several strong starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In his last three starts (18 innings) he has allowed only one earned run and ten hits, and is currently on a 13 inning scoreless streak. He is coming off the best month of his season, in which he went 2-2 with a 2.79 ERA.
Opposing Martin will be Kris Medlen, who does not have much success in his career against the Phillies. This season he faced them twice, going 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA. Over his entire career he is 1-2 with a 5.92 ERA (22 earned runs on 46 hits) in 34 innings against the Phillies.
Several Phillies players have hit Medlen hard through their careers. Jimmy Rollins is 4-for-13 with three doubles, two walks and a RBI, Chase Utley is hitting .375 in eight at bats against Medlen with two RBI, and Delmon Young has a home run and four RBI off Medlen.
Lineup: Rollins SS, M. Young 1B, Utley 2B, Ruf LF, D. Young RF, Asche 3B, Mayberry CF, Kratz C, Martin P
Brewed locally in the Lehigh Valley, perhaps this malty, smoky ale will bring former IronPig Ethan Martin some success today in his debut with the big club. This ale, which is brewed with a bit of scotch, features some caramel, roasted barley and earthy tones, and at 8.5% ABV, if the Phillies do have a bad game you might not even remember it.
