San Diego Padres vs. Philadelphia Phillies (7:05 pm ET, 4 San Diego)
San Diego Padres will try to square in Game 2 (7:05 pm ET, 4 San Diego) against the Philadelphia Phillies, on Saturday, at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Padres have a 32-22 home, 14-10 away record whereas Phillies have a 29-24 away, 14-10 home record.
Against the Philadelphia Phillies, Jon Garland might have a hard time, even if Phillies’ offense still slumping. For the first time Saturday night, Garland looks to defeat Philadelphia, when the NL West-leading San Diego Padres try to snap a six-game skid to the Phillies.
Garland (6-2, 2.15 ERA), who is 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA in his last nine outings has been the big reason for San Diego’s surprising start. Against the Phillies, the right-hander, though, is 0-3 with an 8.02 ERA in four starts. He went 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in two last year with Arizona. For Philadelphia, it is their third baseman Placido Polanco, who is 14 for 37 against him. In Garland’s last nine outings with a 3-2, the Padres (32-22) improved to 8-1. Against Washington on Sunday, he allowed two runs over seven innings, both on homers. His streak of eight straight starts without yielding one came to an end.
With a 3-2 victory Friday, the Phillies halted a four-game losing streak. In seven innings, Roy Halladay struck out seven. Bases-loaded walk in the fifth, Shane Victorino homered and scored the go-ahead run on Jayson Werth’s two-out. Without scoring more than three runs, Philadelphia has gone 12 straight games. The Phillies are hitting .197 in that span and had six hits.
“I feel really good right now, that was the situation I was hoping to have. It was nice to get a save against some real good hitters. We need to win the close games, too “, said Brad Lidge.
Over San Diego, Philadelphia has won six in a row since Lidge blew a save in an 8-5 home loss April 18, 2009. For the first time since May 7-25, 2009, Phillies starter Jamie Moyer (5-5, 4.26) will try to avoid losing four straight starts. Posting a 3.50 ERA, Moyer hasn’t pitched too badly. On Sunday, at Florida, he allowed one run over six innings in a 1-0 loss. In two starts against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park, Moyer is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA.
