Tuesday MLB: Philadelphia Phillies (39-34) at Atlanta Braves (35-40) :WagerWeb Entertainment

Tuesday MLB: Philadelphia Phillies (39-34) at Atlanta Braves (35-40)

30 June 2009 181 views No Comment

The Atlanta Braves have gotten the pitching they need to contend in the NL East, but those Atlanta bats continue to struggle this season.

After playing .500 baseball for the first two months of the season, Atlanta has gone 10-15 in June. Blame the offense, as the Braves have scored three runs or less in 13 of their 25 games in June, getting shut out four times. The club is 25th in the majors in total bases and runs scored, and it has just one hitter that has reached the double-digit mark in home runs – Nate McLouth, who has hit just three of his 12 round-trippers with the Braves after coming over from Pittsburgh in a trade.

The Phillies, meanwhile, are happy to be done with interleague play as they went just 6-12 against the AL this year after going 4-11 last regular season — a combined 10-23 (.303) mark. The Phillies are a league-best 121-81 (.599) within the NL over the same span. Philly has dropped four of six home meetings this season to Atlanta but took all nine matchups at Turner Field last season and have won 14 of their last 17 there.

However, Atlanta has opened as a -130 money line favorite for tonight’s game on WagerWeb.com.

Philadelphia remains without NL MVP candidate Raul Ibanez, who is on the DL but eligible to come off Friday. However, while Ibanez said that his strained left groin feels much better, it’s unlikely he is activated this weekend.

GM Ruben Amaro said Ibanez will see team physician Michael Ciccotti again this week.

“We’ll re-evaluate him and see whether he’s physically able to start some type of rehab,” Amaro said.

That means rookie John Mayberry continues to start, and he is hitting just .216 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 13 games.

The Phillie pitching has been a disappointment this year, as the team’s starters have a 5.21 ERA this season, which is worst in the National League and 28th in baseball. Phillies starters are averaging a little more than 5 2/3 innings per game. The bullpen had a 3.45 ERA on June 11, its best mark since April 12. It has a 6.70 ERA in 14 games since.

Joe Blanton and his 5.06 ERA will take the mound for the Phillies tonight. Derek Lowe (7-6, 4.53) will start Tuesday in place of Kenshin Kawakami, who is being skipped in the rotation to allow his bruised neck to heal.