Phils send Halladay to hill to face Astros, Happ

Baseball Betting Lines

08/25/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A 16-inning marathon in their last game has put a strain on the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen. Fortunately for the two-time defending National League champions, they'll have one of baseball's premier workhorses ready to go tonight.

Roy Halladay will attempt to pitch playoff-hopeful Philadelphia past the Houston Astros, who'll counter with former Phillie J.A. Happ in the third test of what's been a hard-fought four-game series from Citizens Bank Park.

These two teams went the distance and then some on Tuesday, with the Astros finally prevailing by a 4-2 score in a contest that lasted five hours and 20 minutes. Chris Johnson knocked in the go-ahead run with an infield single in the top of the 16th inning for Houston, which has now won two of the first three matchups in this set.

"As long as I've been here the last year and this year, we play tough against the Phillies every time," said Astros pitcher Bud Norris. "We know for years to come that's the kind of caliber team we want to be."

After neither team failed to score over the first six innings of extra time, the Astros loaded the bases with one out in the 16th on a Hunter Pence single, a hit batsmen and an intentional walk. Johnson then hit a grounder to the left side that Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco made a diving stop on, but his throw to second was a tad late as Pence crossed the plate for a 3-2 lead.

Houston would tack on another run during the frame on a fielder's choice, giving reliever Jeff Fulchino the victory after he held the Phillies scoreless over the game's final two innings.

The Astros had a chance to win in regulation, but closer Wilton Lopez served up a dramatic game-tying solo homer to Jimmy Rollins with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Rollins' shot denied a potential win for Norris, who held Philadelphia to one run on five hits over the game's first six innings. Phillies starter Cole Hamels also pitched well, with the left-hander's only blemish in his seven- inning stint a two-run homer he surrendered to Carlos Lee in the top of the fourth.

The tough loss dropped Philadelphia into a tie with San Francisco for the NL Wild Card lead after the Giants defeated Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Phillies remained 2 1/2 games behind NL East leader Atlanta, which fell to Colorado last night.

Philadelphia figures to have a good chance to bounce back tonight, considering Halladay has been sensational during a current six-start winning streak that's improved the All-Star's season record to 16-8. The standout right-hander has posted an excellent 1.37 earned run average over his unbeaten stretch and yielded one run or less in all but one of those wins.

Halladay also carries a string of 15 consecutive scoreless innings into this evening's clash. The 2003 American League Cy Young Award recipient delivered seven shutout frames to best Washington this past Friday at Citizens Bank Park, six days after working eight scoreless frames in an August 14 triumph at the New York Mets.

The 33-year-old has thrown seven innings or more in each of his last six starts and leads the majors in both innings pitched (200) and complete games (eight). Halladay's 2.16 ERA for the season is also tops in baseball at the moment.

The offseason acquisition was also brilliant in his only previous encounter with the Astros, which took place on April 11 in Halladay's second start as a Phillie. He went the distance on a seven-hitter and fanned eight batters in a 2-1 win at Minute Maid Park.

Happ began this season in the Philadelphia rotation and played a key role in the Phillies' march to last year's World Series, as the young lefty went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA over 35 games (23 starts) and placed second in balloting for the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year Award. But with a chance to acquire Roy Oswalt near the non-waiver trade deadline, the Phils shipped Happ to the Astros along with two minor leaguers for the three-time All-Star pitcher on July 29.

Save for a horrid performance at St. Louis on August 4 in which he was rocked for seven runs in one inning, Happ has been solid during his brief tenure in Houston. The 27-year-old has pitched at least six innings in his other four starts as an Astro and held the opposition to two runs or fewer three times during that span.

Happ, who's 2-2 over his five assignments with Houston, was hung with a loss on Friday after permitting three runs over six innings in his team's 9-0 defeat at Florida.

During his time with the Phillies, Happ compiled a 5-3 record with a 4.42 ERA in 26 games (16 starts) at Citizens Bank Park.

Houston was swept by the Phillies in a three-game set at Minute Maid Park back in April, but has won 10 of the past 17 meetings between these teams.