Written By: The Persian
The Atlanta Braves clash in a monster series against the Philadelphia Phillies when the two teams clash in the first of a monster three-game set inside Citizens Bank Park from Philadelphia, PA. They toss out the first pitch at 6:40 pm for what could be a make-or-break series for both teams when it comes to the NL East division.
Bookmaker has the Phillies as the favorites of - 155.
The Braves have made a decent push this season, and even though they have dealt with some major injuries, they have shown a ton of resilience. They have hung around and are within striking distance of the Phillies, but they need this series in the worst way.
They have gotten some timely hitting and pitching of late and now they need to make a serious push for the NL East crown. It will not be easy as the Phillies look like they are locked in of late after struggling for almost two months of the season.
DH and veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna has had a monster season, and he has provided the team with some absurd offensive numbers, including 37 home runs to go along with 98 RBI while hitting a solid .308 on the season. The Braves know they will have to score runs in this series and look for Ozuna to do some damage against the Phillies. He is hitting .209 away from home and has hit 19 home runs on the road this season.
Atlanta will toss out to the old savoy hurler Charlie Morton, who takes the ball and steps on the mound with a mark of 7-7 for the Braves, who have a team ERA of 3.65.
The Phillies have been an up and down team and now they have the Braves breathing down their necks. They are trying to win the division so they can afford catching a hot team in the playoffs like last season. They have shown they have one of the best offenses in baseball when they are consistent and engaged and hitting.
When the Phillies offense goes silent and the bats do not produce they become an average team and they have to rely on their starting staff to bail them out. On offense, they are led by slugger Bryce Harper who has not had the best season of his career, but when the Phillies have needed him to get a big hit he has delivered recently.
He is hitting .279 on the season and should surpass the 30-home run mark as well. He has been a consistent pro for the team and can carry them come October. The Phillies will send out 27-year-old Christopher Sanchez, who sports a mark of 9-9 to go along with an ERA of 3.51. He has fanned 116 hitters in less than 150 frames of work.
The Phillies are 4-1 in their last five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the spread. They are also 30-35 in their road games against the number too. The totals have gone over in three out of their last five games and the totals have gone over in 29 out of their last 67 games at home.
The Braves are 4-1 in their last five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the number too. They are also 32-26 in their road games against the spread. The totals have gone over in two out of their last five games.
