Phillies and Braves start three-game series in Atlanta

A three-game series between the low-flying Philadelphia Phillies at the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves begins tonight with quite a pitching battle. Phillies’ pitcher Cole Hamels (2-3, 3.07 ERA) goes against the Braves ace-in-the-making Julio Teheran (6-4, 2.41)

The Phillies are hoping Hamels continues to pitch well, allowing just one earned run in his last three starts (that’s 22 2/3 innings). The problem is his team’s offense, which continues to struggle this season.

Hamels said, “I’d like to win them all, and I’d like for my teammates and fellow starters to win all their starts, too. I just want them to know they can count on me to go out there and give them something to play behind.”

For Teheran, tonight’s game allows him to erase the stink off his last start, which included a career-worst seven runs and 10 hits spread out over 6 1/3 innings.

“It wasn’t my day from the first inning,” Teheran said. “I was trying to compete the whole game. I know it was a tough day for me.”

While the Braves are favored, this may be a good spot for the Phillies with Hamels on the mound. While the money line is +126, the run-line may make more sense. Atlanta is 10-20-0 this season at home as vs. the run line.