Oswalt faces Astros for first time on Sunday
HOUSTON ASTROS (0-2)
at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (2-0)
First pitch: Sunday, 1:35 p.m. EDT
Line: Philadelphia -225, Houston +205
Philadelphia looks to complete a three-game sweep of Houston when Roy Oswalt faces his former teammates on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
Oswalt, who won 143 games with the Astros, will take the mound against Houston for the first time. He was 13-13 between Philly and Houston in 2010 with a 2.76 ERA. The right-hander threw 211.2 innings with 193 strikeouts and a 1.03 WHIP. He was 7-0 in August and September for the Phillies and sported a 1.33 ERA in the final two months of the season. And Oswalt was unbeatable at Citizens Bank Park, finishing the season 5-0 in six starts with a 1.76 ERA. In 41 innings at home, he had 42 strikeouts and allowed only eight earned runs.
After rallying in the ninth inning to win the opener of the series on Friday, Philly got off to a fast start on Saturday. Placido Polanco had three hits and Raul Ibanez added two RBIs and scored three runs, giving Cliff Lee plenty of run support in a 9-4 victory. But the news wasn't all good, as Shane Victorino left in the fifth inning with a sore left calf. He is questionable for Sunday's game.
J.A. Happ was supposed to start on Sunday, but he was pushed back to Tuesday because of a strained oblique. Bud Norris (9-10, 4.92 ERA) will take the mound opposite Oswalt. Norris struggled early in the 2010 season (2-7 with a 6.08 ERA in his first 14 starts), but he finished strong with a 7-3 record and a 3.84 ERA in his final 13 starts. The right-hander ended his spring with a 7.71 ERA and gave up four homers in 21 innings. Polanco and Ibanez are a combined 6-for-12 versus him. Norris was 4-5 with a 5.47 ERA in 13 road starts in 2010, but is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in three starts versus the Phillies. The last time Norris pitched in Philly was last Aug. 24, when he got a no-decision after going six innings and allowing only one earned run in a 4-2 Houston victory in 16 innings.
The Phillies and Astros met seven times last season, with each team sweeping the other on their home field. Houston won four straight in Philadelphia in August, and the Phillies took all three contests in a series at Minute Maid Park in April. Houston, which ranked 28th in the majors in runs (611) has scored eight in two games against Philadelphia's aces. It won't get any easier against Oswalt on Sunday. This FoxSheets trend likes Philadelphia to complete the sweep on Sunday.
Charlie Manuel is 62-37 (62.6%, +20.2 Units) against the money line after 2 straight games with no home runs as the manager of PHILADELPHIA. The average score was PHILADELPHIA 4.8, OPPONENT 3.9 - (Rating = 1*).
HOUSTON ASTROS (0-2)
at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (2-0)
First pitch: Sunday, 1:35 p.m. EDT
Line: Philadelphia -225, Houston +205
Philadelphia looks to complete a three-game sweep of Houston when Roy Oswalt faces his former teammates on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
Oswalt, who won 143 games with the Astros, will take the mound against Houston for the first time. He was 13-13 between Philly and Houston in 2010 with a 2.76 ERA. The right-hander threw 211.2 innings with 193 strikeouts and a 1.03 WHIP. He was 7-0 in August and September for the Phillies and sported a 1.33 ERA in the final two months of the season. And Oswalt was unbeatable at Citizens Bank Park, finishing the season 5-0 in six starts with a 1.76 ERA. In 41 innings at home, he had 42 strikeouts and allowed only eight earned runs.
After rallying in the ninth inning to win the opener of the series on Friday, Philly got off to a fast start on Saturday. Placido Polanco had three hits and Raul Ibanez added two RBIs and scored three runs, giving Cliff Lee plenty of run support in a 9-4 victory. But the news wasn't all good, as Shane Victorino left in the fifth inning with a sore left calf. He is questionable for Sunday's game.
J.A. Happ was supposed to start on Sunday, but he was pushed back to Tuesday because of a strained oblique. Bud Norris (9-10, 4.92 ERA) will take the mound opposite Oswalt. Norris struggled early in the 2010 season (2-7 with a 6.08 ERA in his first 14 starts), but he finished strong with a 7-3 record and a 3.84 ERA in his final 13 starts. The right-hander ended his spring with a 7.71 ERA and gave up four homers in 21 innings. Polanco and Ibanez are a combined 6-for-12 versus him. Norris was 4-5 with a 5.47 ERA in 13 road starts in 2010, but is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in three starts versus the Phillies. The last time Norris pitched in Philly was last Aug. 24, when he got a no-decision after going six innings and allowing only one earned run in a 4-2 Houston victory in 16 innings.
The Phillies and Astros met seven times last season, with each team sweeping the other on their home field. Houston won four straight in Philadelphia in August, and the Phillies took all three contests in a series at Minute Maid Park in April. Houston, which ranked 28th in the majors in runs (611) has scored eight in two games against Philadelphia's aces. It won't get any easier against Oswalt on Sunday. This FoxSheets trend likes Philadelphia to complete the sweep on Sunday.
Charlie Manuel is 62-37 (62.6%, +20.2 Units) against the money line after 2 straight games with no home runs as the manager of PHILADELPHIA. The average score was PHILADELPHIA 4.8, OPPONENT 3.9 - (Rating = 1*).
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