MLB Predictions Preview …The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers share one common problem. Both clubs are in second place of their respective divisions and can’t afford to fall too far behind with September, the final month of the regular season looming. At least for Philadelphia, its bats are coming alive giving needed offensive punch, something the Dodgers are lacking. Sunday night, Philadelphia will look to recently acquired starting pitcher Joe Blanton. The former Oakland A’s right hander is 6-12 on the season with a 4.87 ERA. The Dodgers will counter Blanton and the Dodgers with right hander Hiroki Kuroda. The young Dodger phenom is 7-9 with a 3.97 ERA. This game is the Sunday ESPN game of the week.
MLB Predictions Betting Line … Oddsmakers at online sportsbook Bodog (Bodoglife.com) currently have the Phillies listed as -112 money line favorites versus the Dodgers, while the game's total is sitting at 9½. The Dodgers are getting +102 money line odds as a road underdog.
Blanton is coming off a second straight outing in which he allowed four earned runs in five innings. He received no-decisions in each of those starts. The first of the two came against the Dodgers, on Aug. 13, when the right-hander struggled to protect a 6-1 lead.
Kuroda allowed the explosive Rockies lineup four runs over the first 2 1/3 innings, then held them scoreless over the next 3 2/3 innings. He served up a home run to Brad Hawpe immediately after taking a smash off his left ankle. He said it didn't effect him on the pitch and wasn't sore afterward, but it was heavily taped to minimize swelling and could pose a problem in his next start.
Pat Burrell drove in five runs to lead the Phillies in a 9-2 rout of the Dodgers on Saturday as a -170 favorite. The combined 11 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (8.5).
Burrell finished 3-for-5 at the plate and went deep for a three-run dinger. Cole Hamels threw seven innings to post his 11th victory, while allowing just two runs on five hits.
Russell Martin belted a two-run homer in the loss for the Dodgers, who were +160 underdogs. Clayton Kershaw was rocked for six runs over four innings to suffer his fourth setback of the season.
MLB Prediction …The Phillies are the team to beat at home in this game. Phillies -112 ML.
