Philadelphia @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 27, 2010 ) Philadelphia 2, San Francisco 6
San Francisco handed Philadelphia ace pitcher Roy Halladay his first loss of the season on Monday. The Phillies will now attempt to return serve Wednesday against the Giants’ hard-to-beat ace.
Tim Lincecum takes his 4-0 record to the mound on Wednesday afternoon as San Francisco tries to finish off a three-game sweep of the two-time defending National League champions.
Lincecum has a sparkling 1.00 ERA and has allowed just 19 hits in 27 innings. He has struck out 32 and walked just six.
Halladay (4-1) had been just as stellar heading into Monday’s contest before the Giants roughed him up for five runs and 10 hits in seven innings.
If the first few weeks of a season are any indication, it figures to be an interesting next few months to see whether Halladay or Lincecum is the National League starter in the All-Star Game. Of course, the Phillies’ Charlie Manuel might have a say in things as Manuel will be the NL manager.
For now, San Francisco’s two-time Cy Young Award winner is more focused on making sure the Giants contend in the NL West. San Francisco (12-8) is currently tied for first place with the San Diego Padres.
In Lincecum’s last outing, he pitched seven solid innings against St. Louis to end the Giants’ four-game losing skid. This time around, he’s looking to continue a winning stretch.
Beginning with his win over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Giants have won four of five games. Lincecum is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six career starts against Philadelphia.
The Phillies (11-9) will counter with left-hander Cole Hamels, who was on the losing side of Home Run Derby in his most-recent outing.
The Arizona Diamondbacks clobbered four homers against Hamels, who gave up six runs and eight hits in six innings. Three of the homers off Hamels came in the same inning.
Hamels has given up seven homers in 24 2/3 innings and has a 5.11 ERA. He does have an impressive strikeout-to-walks ratio of 26 to 6.
Hamels is 4-1 with a 3.98 ERA in six career starts against the Giants.
In an encouraging sign, Phillies closer Brad Lidge pitched two scoreless innings during a rehab assignment on Tuesday and declared himself ready to be activated. Lidge could rejoin the team Friday when the Phillies are back home to play the New York Mets.
Lidge underwent elbow and knee surgeries in the offseason.
Second baseman Chase Utley enters Wednesday’s game with 999 career hits. His next hit will make him the 32nd player in Phillies history to reach 1,000 hits.
San Francisco second baseman Juan Uribe (elbow) is close to returning to the starting lineup. He has missed the past three games. Uribe leads the Giants with 11 RBIs.