Philadelphia @ Miami preview
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Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2012 ) Philadelphia 9, Miami 5
For all of his team's struggles this season, Cole Hamels has enjoyed a career year. The 2008 World Series MVP will look to extend his career high in victories to 17 on Sunday when the Philadelphia Phillies conclude their three-game set against the host Miami Marlins. Chase Utley drove in three runs and Jimmy Rollins collected three hits and scored three times as visiting Philadelphia posted a 9-5 triumph on Saturday.
Although the Phillies won for just the second time in seven outings, the Marlins have been reeling to end the season. Miami has dropped eight of its last nine, although Giancarlo Stanton continued his solid campaign by homering for the second straight contest. Stanton has a career-high 36 homers - with four coming against Philadelphia in Miami.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, WB17 (Philadelphia), FSFL (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cole Hamels (16-6, 3.11 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Nathan Eovaldi (4-12, 4.29)
Hamels recorded his fifth straight victory despite working just five innings in a 6-3 triumph over Washington on Tuesday. The 28-year-old left-hander, who hasn't tasted defeat since Aug. 2, was brilliant in a complete-game gem versus Miami just 11 days later. Hamels scattered seven hits and struck out five in that encounter to improve to 1-3 this season versus the Marlins.
Eovaldi has done his best to snap a four-game losing streak, but to no avail. The 22-year-old recorded a pair of solid starts versus Atlanta, but settled for a no-decision on both occasions. Eovaldi has been torched by the Phillies, falling to 0-3 after permitting five runs in four innings in a 9-7 loss on Sept. 11.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies slugger Ryan Howard will miss the remainder of the season after he dropped a metal pipe on his foot in the on-deck circle Thursday.
2. Miami SS Jose Reyes has just two hits in his last 15 at-bats, but he has gotten the better of Hamels in his career. The speedy Reyes is 20-for-53 (.377) versus the hurler.
3. Philadelphia C Carlos Ruiz has collected four hits and five RBIs in his last four games. Ruiz is 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles in his career versus Eovaldi.