Red-hot Phils attempt season sweep of Brewers

Baseball Betting Lines

09/05/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies shoot for their sixth straight win and try to complete season sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies, who also swept the Brewers in a three-game set back in May, scored the go-ahead run on Ryan Braun's throwing error in the bottom of the seventh on Saturday and eked out a 5-4 win.

Trailing, 4-3, in the seventh, the Phillies had the bases loaded with one out. Placido Polanco stepped to the plate and lofted a sacrifice fly to left to deliver the tying run in Carlos Ruiz. Braun's throw home took a few bounces before rolling past catcher Jonathan Lucroy. That allowed Wilson Valdez to cross the plate for a 5-4 edge.

The bullpen held strong over the final two innings to make a winner of Roy Halladay (17-10), who gave up four runs on seven hits to snap a two-start skid. The right-hander also struck out six and walked two, but allowed a career-high four homers.

"I left some pitches up. Location was obviously an issue at times," Halladay said. "Fortunately, they were solo homers and we were able to score the two big runs in the seventh inning."

Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth each hit solo homers for Philadelphia, which remained one game behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East and stayed three games in front of San Francisco for the wild card spot.

The Phillies are 8-1 since being swept at home by Houston in four games Aug. 23-26.

Corey Hart hit a pair of solo homers for the Brewers, who also got a home run apiece from Prince Fielder and Alcides Escobar.

Dave Bush went six innings in the start, giving up three runs on six hits. He also fanned five batters and walked one for Milwaukee, which has dropped five straight contests. Kameron Loe (3-4) was charged with both runs in the seventh to take the loss.

"We had the lead in the seventh inning. We have to find somebody out of this bullpen that's going to hold it," Brewers manager Ken Macha said.

Heading to the hill for the Phillies this afternoon will be righty Kyle Kendrick, who is 9-7 with a 4.72 earned run average. Kendrick earned the win on Tuesday in Los Angeles, but allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.

Kendrick has faced the Brewers twice and is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA.

Milwaukee will counter with veteran left-hander Randy Wolf, who is winless in his last two starts after a three-start winning streak. Wolf did not get a decision on Monday in Cincinnati, as the Reds reached him for three runs and eight hits in five innings of a 5-4 loss.

He is 10-10 on the year with a 4.76 ERA.

Wolf, who pitched the first eight years of his career in Philadelphia, is 1-2 in six starts against his former team with a 5.79 ERA. He was hammered by the Phils back on May 14 for six runs in five innings.

Philadelphia, which has won seven of the past nine meetings between the two ball clubs, also went 6-0 against the Brewers in 2004.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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