Boston @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2009 ) Boston 6, Philadelphia 11

Cole Hamels has faced the Boston Red Sox just once in his career.

And while the 26-year-old left-hander's performance was strong on the field, his words off of it left a lasting impression.

After tossing seven strong innings en route to leading the Philadelphia Phillies to an 8-2 victory on June 16, 2008, Hamels declared that he expected the same two teams to square off again - in the World Series.

A powerful, yet unproven, club, the Phillies rode both Hamels' confidence and talented arm to the Fall Classic. The Red Sox, however, were unable to make good on Hamels' declaration as they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

Hamels certainly held up his end of the bargain, claiming World Series Most Valuable Player honors as Philadelphia won the city's first championship in the four major sports in a quarter century.

Fast-forward back to the present. Hamels (4-2, 4.29 ERA) will have to settle for a regular-season interleague contest as the National League-leading Phillies (25-15) and Red Sox (22-20) open a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

In his last outing, Hamels kept the Milwaukee Brewers at bay - save for one final out in the sixth inning. He surrendered back-to-back, two-out home runs to Casey McGehee and Gregg Zaun before closing out the frame.

The blips on the screen showed in his final line, as he allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, but the Phillies managed to post a 4-2 victory on Sunday.

The performance has become old hat for the Phillies, who have seen their starters reach at least the seventh inning in seven consecutive games. Taken a step further, Philadelphia starters are 12-5 in 18 games in May.

A tough test for Hamels could come in the form of Kevin Youkilis, who belted his eighth home run of the season Thursday as the Red Sox recorded their third straight win with a 6-2 triumph over the Minnesota Twins.

Youkilis went 2-for-4 with four RBIs on the night to improve his average to .324 this season. The 31-year-old Youkilis has hit safely in 16 of 18 games in May.

Boston will turn to John Lackey (4-2, 4.86 ERA), who has struggled in his last few starts. In his last outing Sunday, the 31-year-old right-hander allowed five runs and nine hits in seven innings in a 5-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Lackey's only familiar foe is Raul Ibanez, who is 18-for-48 (.375) in his career against him.

Ibanez also contributed on Thursday, snapping a tie game in the eighth inning with a run-scoring single to lift the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The result snapped a modest two-game losing skid for Philadelphia.

As a side note, Boston center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is expected to return to action on Saturday. Plagued by a rib injury, Ellsbury performed well in Double-A Portland on Thursday, going 3-for-4 with a double, stolen base and run scored.