Friday night baseball and we will see the Milwaukee Brewers take on the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizen Bank Stadium in Philadelphia. First pitch is scheduled for a 7:05 PM (Eastern) start time and the game will be televised locally. Current Betting Odds, according to Sportsbook.ag, have Philadelphia listed as the favorite.
Current Odds
Milwaukee +116
Philadelphia -126
Over/ Under: 8 O -120
Analysis: The Milwaukee Brewers look to snap a season-high six-game losing streak on Friday when they begin a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Brewers have not held a lead in the past 59 innings, and they’ve won just five of their 27 games this month. If they fail to beat Philadelphia on Friday, the Brewers will tie the club record for losses in a month and set a new mark for worst winning percentage. The Brewers, who have allowed 14 homers during their skid, have dropped three in a row on the road and 13 of their last 16 away from Miller Park. Gallardo has lost a career-high four straight starts while posting a 5.40 ERA over that stretch. The 27-year-old failed to pitch past the fourth inning for the second time this season last Sunday, when he threw 94 pitches and recorded just 12 outs against the Pirates. Gallardo is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three regular-season starts against the Phillies. He also faced Philadelphia in the 2008 postseason, tossing seven scoreless innings in two appearances.
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (oblique) won’t be available for another two to three weeks, but left fielder Domonic Brown is doing his part to help the team’s struggling offense. Brown, the reigning National League Player of the Week, has 14 hits in his last 38 at-bats along with 10 home runs this month. After batting seventh for much of the season, Brown was moved to the fifth spot on Thursday and singled twice to raise his average to .267. Hamels (1-8, 4.43 ERA) has exceeded his loss total from 2012 and is within three of his career high set in 2009 and matched in 2010. The left-hander dropped his career-worst fifth straight start Sunday, giving up five runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 6-1 defeat at Washington. While Hamels didn't pitch well in that game, a lack of run support has also plagued the 17-game winner from last year. The Phillies have provided him 20 runs in his 11 starts, and he hasn't pitched with a lead since April 7. Hamels has certainly battled Milwaukee well, winning his last four matchups with a 2.08 ERA. He won his only start versus the Brewers last season, giving up three runs - all on two homers - in 7 2-3 innings of a 4-3 victory Aug. 18.
Pick: This has to be a great spot for Cole and the Phils to pick up a good win here. Cole is just 1-8 on the year and the Phils are just 1-10 in his starts, but seriously, how long will that last. Cole is way too good a pitcher to continue to have a record like that. In his career Cole has a 48-36 record at home, with a 3.30 ERA, while in 10 career starts vs the Brewers he is 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA. So this just may be the right team for him to face to get back on track. Milwaukee has been horrible, going just 5-22 in their last 27 games overall and they are a miserable 4-18 vs lefties on the year, plus they have gone just 7-16 on the road. Oh and BTW the Brewers are also 3-9 the last 12 meetings with Philly, plus 11-30 in their last 41 games in Philly. The Phils have been playing more consistent of late going 10-8 in their last 18 games overall and they are 31-13 in Cole Hamels last 44 home starts vs a losing team. The Phils offense is starting to get some hits and HR's and will be taking on Yovani Gallardo, who has gone 3-5 with a 4.79 ERA on the year, including 1-3 with a 5.32 ERA on the road. Yovani is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in 3 starts vs the Phils, but he just isn't right this year and Milwaukee as a whole is horrible right now, so I feel this is the perfect spot for Cole Hamels to get his 2nd win of the year.
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