Adam Morgan (1-0, 1.59 ERA) and the Philadelphia Phillies (26-49) meet Gio Gonzalez (5-4, 4.41 ERA) and the Washington Nationals (41-33) in the second of a three-game division series at Citizens Bank Park. The Nationals won the last game 5-2, extending a seven-game winning streak. The game starts at 3:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jun. 27 and will air on MASN and CSN-PHI.
In his most recent outing, Morgan pitched 5.2 innings, allowing one run, striking out six and walking two in a 9-2 victory over the Cardinals. Ben Revere (.294, 40 Rs, 1 HR, 19 RBIs, 18 SBs) went 1 for 1 yesterday with one run, one home run, and one RBI. In his pitching opportunities against the Phillies, Gonzalez is 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA, 83 strikeouts and 27 walks. Bryce Harper (.340, 53 Rs, 24 HRs, 58 RBIs, 3 SBs) has been hitting the ball well for the Nationals, going 2 for 5 yesterday with one run and one RBI.
Philadelphia is a +165 underdog in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at eight runs. The Phillies have a losing record of 23-43 when playing as the underdog and an overall money line of -1,379. They have not performed well against their division, earning an SU record of 10-21 and a 9-20 record when they were the underdog. Philadelphia has averaged 4.7 runs per game over the last 10 games, higher than its season average of 3.3. Philadelphia’s pitching staff has fallen apart in the past 10 games. Its average runs allowed per game rose to 7.8 during that span, compared to its 5.0 season average.
Across the field, the Nationals have a record of 32-22 when they are favored and are +15 overall with the money line. They have played at the top of their game when rated as favorite recently. They managed a 5-1 record when playing as the favorite and an SU record of 7-3. They sport the third-ranked offense in the NL, averaging 4.4 runs per game. Washington is one of the top hitting teams in the NL with an average of 8.8 hits per contest. Washington has an eye for the strike zone, ranking 3.1 in the NL with fifth walks per game. The last 10 games have really brought the best out of the Washington pitchers. They’ve allowed 2.5 runs per game during that span, which is lower than their season average of 4.0. They also allow just 2.3 walks per game, second-best in the NL.
The Nationals have gotten the better of the Phillies in head-to-head matchups this season, going 7-4. The Phillies will take on a left-hander (Gonzalez) in this game. They have struggled against left-handed starting pitchers this season, going 5-10. The left-handed Morgan will take the mound against the Nationals. Against lefty starters this season, they’ve racked up an impressive 11-4 record.
Predictions: SU Winner – WSH, O/U – Over
Notes
When leading after 7 innings, Washington is 22-14, while Philadelphia is 12-25.
The Phillies are coming into this game after allowing two walks during their last outing. The Nationals have a 15-15 record when opponents give up that many walks or fewer.
The Nationals are coming into the game with seven consecutive wins, while the Phillies currently have a losing streak of two.
When they outhit their opponents, the Phillies are 16-7. The Nationals have a 31-2 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 30th in runs, Philadelphia has earned 246 this season. Washington ranks sixth with 328 runs.
Ranking 27th, Philadelphia is near the bottom of the league in walks, notching 167 this season. Washington ranks in the top 10 at ninth with 226.
The Phillies are 16-19 in games where they hit one or more home runs. The Nationals are 29-14 when they hit at least one homer.
