Cincinnati @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( May 16, 2014 ) Cincinnati 3, Philadelphia 0

Six days ago, Cole Hamels threw a career-high 133 pitches before watching the bullpen squander his 100th career victory. On Saturday, the Philadelphia Phillies' left-hander will take his seventh crack at win No. 100 when the Cincinnati Reds visit for the second game of their weekend set. Hamels went a season-high eight innings Sunday against the New York Mets, allowing one run with a season-best 10 strikeouts before the bullpen gave up three runs in the ninth and one in the 11th.

Reds starter Homer Bailey also is coming off a terrific start, having yielded one run and four hits in 7 1/3 frames in Sunday's 4-1 triumph against the Colorado Rockies. Cincinnati took the opener of this series on Friday, posting a 3-0 victory behind an equally strong pitching performance as Alfredo Simon struck out eight in 7 2/3 innings. Cody Asche recorded three hits and Chase Utley had two, but the Phillies still fell for the eighth time in 10 games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Ohio (Cincinnati), CSN (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (3-2, 4.72 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (0-2, 5.32)

Like Hamels, Bailey also is coming off a season high for pitches thrown (112) in his last start. However, Bailey's 7 1/3 innings against the Rockies marked just the second time this season he has lasted more than six frames. The Phillies are one of three National League teams that Bailey has never defeated, as the 28-year-old Texas native is 0-3 with a 3.61 ERA in eight career starts versus Philadelphia.

Hamels has terrific career numbers against the Reds, going 7-0 with a 1.70 ERA in 10 regular-season starts, not to mention a five-hit shutout in the clinching Game 3 of the 2010 National League Division Series. Brandon Phillips (4-for-28, eight strikeouts) and Joey Votto (2-for-14) are two of the Cincinnati stars with terrible career numbers against Hamels. The former World Series MVP has not pitched well at home this season, however, posting a 9.28 ERA in two starts at Citizens Bank Park.

WALK-OFFS

1. Phillies OF Marlon Byrd is 6-for-16 with two home runs against Bailey while every other current Phillies player is 23-for-95 (.242) with one home run against him.

2. Left-handed batters are 10-for-23 with a .500 on-base percentage against Hamels this season.

3. Philadelphia has scored more than five runs only twice in its last 15 games.

PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Reds 2