The Philadelphia Phillies (4-5) and San Francisco Giants (4-5) will open up a three-game National League series on Monday night inside AT&T Park, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:15 ET
Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants
Philadelphia heads back out on the road after splitting its six-game homestand that came to its conclusion with an 8-2 come-from-behind win over the New York Mets on Sunday afternoon. The Phillies’ offense is still missing most of its punch without first baseman Ryan Howard and second baseman Chase Utley being out of the lineup, as they’ve managed to hit just five home runs this year. Philadelphia is 28-16 on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 the last two-plus years.
Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay (2-0, 0.60 ERA) has been tremendous in the early going this season, with the team winning both of his starts by an 8-1 combined margin. The right-hander is coming off a 7-1 home win over the Miami Marlins on April 11, surrendering just a single run and five hits over seven strong innings. Halladay will be searching for his first regular-season win against the Giants, coming in with an 0-2 record and 7.23 ERA in three starts. He will be toeing the rubber at AT&T Park for the third time, allowing 10 runs and 15 hits in 12.1 combined innings.
San Francisco had its three-game win streak snapped in a 4-1 home loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, failing to score four or more runs for the first time this season. The Giants were 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position in the series finale. Getting refocused for his high-profile series will be important, with the club losing three of four in the Bay Area against the Phillies, getting outscored by a 15-6 combined margin. San Francisco is 8-11 as a home underdog of +100 to +125 since the start of the 2010 campaign.
Giants ace Tim Lincecum (0-1, 12.91 ERA) is off to a dreadful start to the 2012 season, with his team losing his first two starts by a combined 22-12 margin. The right-hander managed to last just 2.1 innings in a 17-8 road loss to the Colorado Rockies last time out, giving up six runs and eight hits. In nine career regular-season starts versus the Phillies, Lincecum is 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA, including a 2-0 mark and 0.66 ERA in two outings last year.
Bettors will likely back the Phillies due to their 19-7 record as road favorites of -110 to -150, while the Giants are 0-6 in Lincecum’s last six tries to open a series.
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