Phillies-Dodgers Preview
Los Angeles, CA – Roy Oswalt pitched seven scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers three weeks ago, exactly the type of outing the Philadelphia Phillies were hoping the three-time All-Star could provide down the stretch.
He hasn’t slowed down since.
Oswalt has performed like an ace in his past four outings, a standard he’ll look to maintain in Wednesday’s finale as he tries to lead the Phillies to a series victory at Dodger Stadium.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Dodgers –105 money line favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Phillies. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 67% of more than 2,576 bets for this game have been placed on the Phillies -101.
Oswalt (9-13, 3.12 ERA) was 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in his first two starts with the Phillies (74-58) after coming over from Houston prior to the trade deadline, but he’s flashed his dominant form in his past four outings.
The right-hander held the Dodgers (68-65) to five hits in a 2-0 win Aug. 11, the first of three straight victories. Oswalt pitched well enough to deserve one Friday at San Diego, allowing a run over eight innings in Philadelphia’s 3-2, 10-inning win.
“He did a fantastic job,” Padres second baseman David Eckstein said. “He’s been great his last four starts. He was really mixing it up well.”
Oswalt is 7-2 with a 2.89 ERA in 10 starts versus the Dodgers and 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA in his last two road starts against them.
He’s done an outstanding job retiring Los Angeles’ 3-4-5 hitters. Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and James Loney are a combined 6 for 34 (.176) against Oswalt.
Kemp had two hits and Loney a two-run homer Tuesday, but that wasn’t enough to catch up to the Phillies. Brian Schneider hit a three-run shot in the second inning and Ryan Howard followed with a three-run homer in the third – his first since July 27 – as Philadelphia won 8-4 to even the series.
The Phillies maintained their 1 1/2-game wild-card lead over San Francisco while staying within three of NL East-leading Atlanta.
“I feel like I’ve had some good at-bats and good swings over the last five, six games,” said Howard, who came into the game in a 4-for-49 slump. “I was just happy to have gotten a hit.”
Howard will be happy to see September’s arrival. He’s a .307 hitter with 49 homers during the month, both career bests.
“He’s got to get going,” manager Charlie Manuel said.
Los Angeles opposes Oswalt with Clayton Kershaw (11-8, 3.01), who is 4-1 with a 1.94 ERA in seven afternoon starts.
The left-hander posted a 2.03 ERA in his final four August outings, but has one win to show for it. Kershaw held Colorado to a run over six innings Friday, but the Dodgers’ offensive surge didn’t come until late in a 6-2 victory.
Picking up a win Wednesday won’t be easy. Kershaw has gone 0-4 with a 6.31 ERA in nine games – six starts – against the Phillies, including the postseason.
His biggest nemesis has been Carlos Ruiz, who drove in the final two runs Tuesday with a pinch-hit single in the seventh. Philadelphia’s catcher is 3 for 7 with a homer and three walks versus Kershaw.
The Phillies, who conclude a seven-game trip Thursday with a makeup contest against Colorado, last won a regular-season series at Dodger Stadium in 2005.
Posted: 9/1/10 9:15AM ET