Phillies, Eickhoff look to salvage finale with Angels

Angel Stadium of Anaheim opened in 1966 as Anaheim Stadium. It is currently the fourth-oldest venue in the majors, trailing Fenway Park (1912), Wrigley Field (1914) and Dodger Stadium (1962). (Matt Nunley/Flickr Creative Commons)

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Looking to avoid being swept for the ninth time, the Philadelphia Phillies (39-66) will send RHP Jerad Eickhoff to the mound in opposition of rookie RHP Parker Bridwell and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (53-55) Thursday evening at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

The Phillies have fallen in each of the first two games of the series, 7-1 and 7-0. On Wednesday, Phillies right-handed starter Jake Thompson suffered his first loss of the season, allowing seven runs (two earned) in five innings. Phillies batters hit just 6-31 with a pair of walks and four strikeouts; they left six on base and went 0-5 with runners in scoring position. Angels center fielder Mike Trout hit his 20th home run, joining 1993 American League Rookie of the Year Award winner OF Tim Salmon (1993-98) as the only players in franchise history with six straight seasons of at least 20 home runs.

Phillies outfielders Aaron Altherr (hamstring) and Nick Williams (sick) return to action after missing Wednesday's contest.

The Phillies are 0-6 in Eickhoff's last six road starts against teams with a record under .500, notes Covers. The Angels have won each of their last 11 meetings against the Phillies, tied for the longest such win streak in interleague history.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

Eickhoff Career vs. LAA: N/A

Eickhoff, 27, has pitched to a 2.89 ERA and a 1.321 WHIP ratio over his last five starts. Through nine career starts against American League clubs, the right-hander is 4-2 with a 4.62 ERA and a 38-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Season Splits, By Month:

• April: 5 GS, 0-2, 3.56 ERA, 30 1/3 IP, 28 SO, 11 BB, .235/.297/.383
• May: 5 GS, 0-3, 6.08 ERA, 26 2/3 IP, 23 SO, 8 BB, .325/.371/.491
• June: 4 GS, 0-2, 5.49 ERA, 19 2/3 IP, 14 SO, 11 BB, .291/.370/.468
• July: 4 GS, 2-0, 3.27 ERA, 22 IP, 25 SO, 10 BB, .235/.333/.395

Bridwell Career vs. PHI: N/A

Bridwell, who turned 26 on Wednesday, pitched to the eighth-lowest ERA among qualified pitchers in the month of July, 1.69. In the American League, his ERA was the third-lowest, trailing only southpaws Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox (1.04) and James Paxton of the Seattle Mariners (1.37).

The Angels have lost just one of the nine games Bridwell has appeared in this season, a 10-0 loss to the Mariners on June 30.

Season Splits, By Month:

• April: 0 G
• May: 1,G, 1 GS, 1-0, 4.50 ERA, 6 IP, 4 SO, 1 BB, .273/.333/.545
• June: 4 G, 3 GS, 1-1, 3.80 ERA, 21 1/3 IP, 10 SO, 6 BB, .329/.378/.549
• July: 4 G, 4 GS, 3-0, 1.69 ERA, 26 2/3 IP, 20 SO, 6 BB, .188/.235/.281

Starting Lineups:

Broadcast Information:

• First pitch: 10:07 p.m.
• TV: CSN
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

Game Notes:

• Among qualified National League starters. Eickhoff has held opponents to a sixth-best opposing batting average with runners in scoring position this season, .194 (20-103).
• Angels first baseman/designated hitter Albert Pujols (608) is two home runs shy of passing Sammy Sosa (609) for the most home runs all-time by a foreign-born player.
• Current members of the Angels are 2-17 (.118/.118/.176) in 17 combined career at-bats against Eickhoff with a single, double and three strikeouts. No active Phillies has previously faced Bridwell in their careers.

What's Next:

• Friday, August 4, 2017: at Colorado Rockies, 8:40 p.m.
• Coors Field
• RHP Vince Velasquez (2-6, 4.91 ERA) vs. LHP Kyle Freeland (11-7, 3.71 ERA)
• TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP