Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Philadelphia Phillies will look to bounce back from a one-run loss when they continue a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Citizens Bank Park.
Houston won the opener 6-5 on Tuesday behind Christian Walker, who went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. The Astros enter Wednesday 74-71. The Phillies are 81-64.
Philadelphia will send Cristopher Sánchez (16-5) to the mound. Houston is scheduled to start Hunter Brown (5-3). The forecast calls for cloudy skies and a game-time temperature of 79 degrees.
Walker has been Houston’s most productive hitter in the series. Over his past 10 games, he is 7 for 33 with one home run and five RBIs. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI against the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 3. He also had a 1-for-3 game against Arizona on Sept. 6 and a 1-for-3 game at the New York Mets on Aug. 30.
Trea Turner is Philadelphia’s player to watch. He went 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs in Tuesday’s loss. Over his past 10 games, Turner is 10 for 40 with one home run and five RBIs. He has hits in eight of those games, including a 2-for-4, two-RBI performance at the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 29. He also had a 1-for-5 game with an RBI at Arizona on Sept. 1.
Houston’s Hayden Wesneski allowed three earned runs over six innings in Tuesday’s win. Daulton Varsho went 3 for 5 with a home run and an RBI. Philadelphia got a scoreless inning of relief from Tim Mayza and Chase Shugart, while Turner hit a two-run homer.
Houston has won six of its past 10 games. The Astros took two of three from the New York Mets from Aug. 28-30, then won three of four against the Chicago White Sox before dropping two of three to Arizona. They beat the Phillies 6-5 on Tuesday.
Philadelphia also has won six of its past 10. The Phillies swept a three-game series at the Angels from Aug. 28-30, took two of three at Arizona from Aug. 31-Sept. 2, then split four games against Atlanta, including a 1-0 win Monday. They lost Tuesday to Houston.
Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Philadelphia victory, and its ELO system gives the Phillies a 60.20 percent win probability. Philadelphia is a -1.5 favorite, and the over-under is 8.
The series concludes Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. Houston will then travel to Tampa Bay for a three-game weekend series, while Philadelphia will visit Atlanta for a three-game series.