Inside the Chalk

Time is of the essence for the Philadelphia Phillies because they sit 3-1/2 games back of the NL East leading Atlanta Braves and the regular season is winding down. The Phillies should be able to take a step forward today when they travel to Queens to take on the NY Mets. Philadelphia will have their ace, Aaron Nola, take the hill and he has been spectacular with a record of 15–4, a 2.23 ERA and a WHIP of just 0.97. Over his career, Nola has been a Met killer, going 5-1 with a 3.29 ERA. The Mets will counter with Steven Matz and his record is nothing to write home about. Matz is 5-11, with a 4.20 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and he is 0-2 in his career against the Phillies with a 4.97 ERA. Bang the Phillies.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Atlanta Braves blew a 6 run lead in the eighth inning yesterday at home to the Boston Red Sox and ended up losing, 9-8. Then, with their tail between their legs, they had to charter a plane and fly across the country to open a 4-game set tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks had yesterday off so they will be well rested and will have their ace on the hill, Zack Greinke. Greinke is having another stellar year, at 13-9, with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Arizona is 4-0 in his last 4 starts against Atlanta. Greinke last faced the Braves at SunTrust Park on July 14th where he threw 7-1/3 scoreless innings in a 3-0 Diamondback win. Atlanta counters with Aníbal Sánchez and he has been delivering as well. Sánchez is 6-5, with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP but Atlanta is 1-4 in his last 5 starts and they are just 2-6 in their last 8 games overall. Arizona has an opportunity to gain some ground on Colorado and Los Angeles. Don’t blow it!
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ bats finally woke up last night, smacking 13 hits in a 11-4 shellacking of the New York Mets at Chavez Ravine. Tonight they will wrap up the 3-game set and will send lefty Hyun-jin Ryu to the hill. When this guy is healthy, and he is, he is as good as anybody. Ryu is 4-1, with a 2.24 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and has been a Met killer. In his career against New York, he is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.69 and a 0.94 WHIP. The Mets will send Zack Wheeler to the bump. Wheeler is 9-7, with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. His numbers might seem average but he has been delivering, winning 7 of his last 8 turns but Wheeler has struggled in his career against the Dodgers, going 0-2 with a bloated ERA of 11.00. Los Angeles has won 16 of the last 21 meetings and 6 of the last 7 at Dodger Stadium.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The New York Yankees lost the first game of a 3-game set to the Oakland Athletics yesterday but, keep in mind, they played a matinée in the Bronx on Sunday then had to travel across the country to play another day game yesterday. That is hard to do. With the loss yesterday, the Yankees have now lost five in a row at the Coliseum but trends can be broken. J.A. Happ gets the call for New York. The southpaw is 15-6, with a 4.00 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and he is 4-1 in his career against the Athletics with a 3.69 ERA. Liam Hendriks will make his second start of the season for Oakland and he is 0-1, with a 7.82 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP. The Yanks’ Giancarlo Stanton is 0-11 in his last 3 games so he is due, and Andrew McCutchen is 2-4 in his career against Hendriks with a double and a triple.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost three in a row and now find themselves one game back of the Dodgers for the NL West lead. Tonight they should be able to right the ship because the San Diego Padres come to town. The Friars have not fared well against the Snakes, going 1-6 in the last 7 meetings, and they are 0-5 in their last 5 road games. San Diego will send Bryan Mitchell to the hill and he has yet to notch a victory. Mitchell is 0-3, with a 7.08 ERA, and a 2.03 WHIP. Arizona will have Zack Godley tapping the rubber. Godley is 14-7, with a 4.42 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, and he is 2-0 this year against the Padres. The Diamondbacks need to win this game and they know it.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday, 7-1, at Citizens Bank Park but it won’t be that easy today because Aaron Nola will be on the hill for the Phillies. Nola is having a Cy Young type year, with a record of 15-3, a 2.10 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and he is a perfect 9-0 at home with an ERA of only 1.94. The Cubs give the nod to the southpaw, Jon Lester, and he is doing what he does best – deliver. Lester is 14-5, with a 3.67 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP. The Phillies have had success at home against lefties, going 21-7 in their last 28 games and it’s hard to go against Nola at home.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Atlanta Braves have lost three in a row and had better get back on track soon because the Philadelphia Phillies are breathing down their necks for the NL East lead. That should happen tonight when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates at SunTrust Park. Kevin Gausman will get the nod for Atlanta and since being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, he’s been spectacular. Gausman is 4-1, with a stingy ERA of 1.69, and a WHIP of only 0.88. That can’t be said for Chris Archer who will tap the rubber for Pittsburgh. Since joining the Pirates from Tampa, Archer is a disappointing 1-2, with an elevated 6.45 ERA, and a 1.75 WHIP. The Bucs are 5-12 in their last 17 overall and 3-7 in their last 10 road games.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES