Saturday, June 25, 2011, but th
Posted: 2:53 p.m.
CSNPhilly.com
Phillies (48-29) vs. Athletics (34-43), 7:05 on CSN
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Cole Hamels (9-3, 2.51 ERA) is one of nine pitchers in baseball to have won nine games thus far this season, but is coming off his first loss since May 8 in his previous outing. In that start in Seattle, Hamels allowed two runs in 6 13 innings. He had gone 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA with 41 strikeouts over his previous six starts.
A victory in his 16th start would give Hamels 10 wins quicker than any of his four previous seasons with double-digit victories.
Athletics: Oakland counters with Trevor Cahill (7-5, 3.24 ERA), who earned his first win since May 9 in his last outing. The right-hander ended a seven-start winless streak Sunday, allowing one run through eight innings against San Francisco in his longest outing since April 17. Cahill gave up 10 runs in seven combined innings in losing his previous two starts.
Sunday's victory improved Cahill to 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA over his last six interleague starts, yielding two runs or less in five of them.
MLB
Previous games
The Philles prevailed in a pitching duel in Friday's series opener, when Ben Francisco broke a scoreless tie in the ninth inning with a two-out, pinch-hit, walk-off RBI single that gave the Phils a 1-0 victory.
Including Friday's defeat, the A's have now lost three straight after a season-high six-game winning streak. Oakland has scored just three runs over their last three games, and their 40 home runs are the fewest in baseball.
Head-to-head
The Athletics have won four of their last five games against the Phillies, scoring exactly five runs in each of their last three victories against them.
Who's hot?
The Phillies, winners of seven consecutive home games, have not committed a single error over their last eight games.
Ryan Howard, who has reached base (via hit, walk or HBP) 11 times over his last five games, has reached base successfully in 15 straight games -- the third longest active streak in the National League.
Sound off
Has Cole Hamels been the Phils' best starting pitcher this season? If not, then who?