The 81-64 Philadelphia Phillies lost a close one last night to the 74-71 Houston Astros, 6-5, at Citizens Bank Park but tonight the outcome should be different. In Game 2 of their 3-game set Phillies ace, southpaw Cristopher Sánchez, is expected to be called upon to throw strikes and he is up for the challenge. Sánchez has 16 wins and just 5 losses with an ERA of only 2.58 and a 1.20 WHIP. Hunter Brown is expected on the hill for the Astros. He is 5-3 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. The Phillies are 5-0 in Sánchez’s last 5 starts against the weak AL West but have lost 5 straight against Houston. Trends end.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES