NLDS Game 2′s
A pair of crucial game two’s on the menu for Friday night playoff baseball. The first of two incredible matchups will feature the Philadelphia Phillies looking to build off of Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in game one by sending three-time all star Roy Oswalt to the helm. Countering Oswalt will be postseason veteran Bronson Arroyo, who won 17 games this season. While Oswalt in his half-season with Philadelphia posted a 7-1 record with a 1.74 ERA, Arroyo enters this game with crucial postseason experience, pitching for the Red Sox in the epic 2004 ALCS against the Yankees where Boston, down 3-0, reeled off four consecutive victories for the AL crown.
“I expect a very Yankee Stadium-esque environment, especially warming up in the bullpen,” Arroyo said. “But I’ve always enjoyed it. I loved playing in the stadiums when guys are screaming obscenities about my mother.”
The Reds offense will attempt to wipe off the dust from their brutal game one performance and get back to what got them to the postseason for the first time in ten years. They led the NL in batting average (.278), home runs (188), and runs (790) this season but came up empty against Halladay. NL MVP candidate, Joey Votto will look to anchor this offense as they try to even the series heading back to Cincinnati.
On the other side, Oswalt expects to feed off of Halladay’s historic start in game one. He has never lost a game in Philly’s Citizen Bank Park going 9-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 10 starts. He’s 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA in six home starts with the Phillies. “Watching Halladay and Cole (Hamels), they remind me a lot of (Roger) Clemens and (Andy) Pettitte. They were on top of their game there then (2005 with the Houston Astros) and these guys are here, too. So, it helps our starting staff out a lot when you start watching each other pitch and kind of feed off each other,” Oswalt said.
The second game will feature the San Francisco Giants who have a 1-0 series lead, hosting the Atlanta Braves. To follow Tim Lincecum’s complete game, 14-strikeout, shutout victory in game one, the Giants will send Matt Cain to the mound who led the Nation League with 25 quality starts on the season. The Braves will counter with rookie Tommy Hanson, who has pitched well down the stretch for Atlanta posting a 1.81 ERA since the beginning of September.
Both of these pitchers have been subject to lack of run support. Cain, who has a career ERA of 3.45, is in the bottom three of the league in terms of runs scored by his team in his starts. Hanson is the first Braves pitcher since the team moved to Atlanta to have an ERA under 3.50 in at least 30 starts and still post a losing record (10-11).
While both teams will struggle to find their offensive swagger, one can expect another great pitchers duel down by the bay this evening. As the Giants are trying to maintain home-field advantage and advance to the NLCS for the first time since 2002, the Braves will be swinging for the fences, hoping to get to Cain early and often.
Will we see Philly falter or a Giant collapse? Heading into Game 2 with a 1-0 series lead is a dangerous place to be. Complacency is a manager’s worst fear, but you can be sure Charlie Manuel (PHI) and Bruce Bochy (SF) will have their teams prepared for battle.
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