The Philadelphia Phillies (18-16, 5-10 away) conclude a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves (16-17, 8-8 home) on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The two National League teams have split the first two games of the series this weekend.
The first pitch of Sunday’s contest is at 7 p.m. EST inside Truist Park in Cumberland, GA. According to oddsmakers, the Phillies are favored (-110), and the run total is eight runs.
What to Know – Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia’s loss last night snapped a five-game winning streak for the Phillies. The visitors had a two-run lead entering the ninth inning before blowing the lead and dropping the game in extra innings. The Phillies are tied with the New York Mets atop the National League East standings.
Ace Aaron Nola (3-1, 2.89 ERA, 0.98 ERA) takes the mound for the Phillies. Nola has put together a solid start this season, tossing 37.2 innings and allowing only 14 earned runs. The 27-year old was solid in his first start in May, scattering five hits, one earned run, and striking out ten over 6.0 innings.
Offensively, Philadelphia scores 4.2 runs per game and hits .234 as a team. Outfielder Bryce Harper has put together a solid start at the plate, batting .304 with a .434 on-base percentage and six home runs. Shortstop Didi Gregorius has driven in a team-high 22 run for the Phillies, while first baseman Rhys Hoskins leads the team with eight home runs.
What to Know – Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is off to a lackluster start this season, having yet to get its record over .500 this season. The Braves have won three out of their last four, and a victory Sunday night pushed their record to 17-17. Although the Braves have struggled, Atlanta is only 1.5 games out of first place in the East standings.
The Braves counter on the mound with right-hander Huascar Ynoa (3-1, 2.36 ERA, 0.90 WHIP). The 22-year old has thrown 34.1 innings this season, allowing just nine earned runs over that span. Ynoa tossed 7.0 innings in his last start, surrendering four hits and no earned runs while striking out four.
Atlanta averages 4.6 runs per game and sports a team batting average of .229. Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. began the season tearing the cover off the baseball and has regressed a bit but is still hitting .313 with ten home runs, 22 RBI, and 28 runs scored. Acuna Jr. is listed as day-to-day on the injury report after getting hit by a pitch in Saturday night’s contest.
The Pick is In
Saturday night’s contest between these two teams was a thriller, with the Braves plating the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning. Fans can only hope that Sunday night’s contest gives us that same level of excitement.
The pitching matchup favors the Phillies, but Ynoa has shown signs of excellence over the first month on the mound. The offensive lineups are not only two of the best in the NL but two of the best in the majors. We will take the host in another close contest between these two rivals.
The Pick: Atlanta Braves +1.5
