“`htmlThe Philadelphia Phillies host the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, May 29 at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is set for 1:05 PM ET in the final game of a three-game series. Philadelphia won the opener 2-0 and enters the game with the best record in the majors at 35-19. The Braves sit at 25-28 and are looking to snap out of a recent slide.
Thursday’s pitching matchup features Zack Wheeler for the Phillies and AJ Smith-Shawver for the Braves. Both starters come in with something to prove. Wheeler is on a strong run of scoreless innings, while Smith-Shawver is trying to bounce back after a rough outing.
Phillies Preview – Wheeler Keeps Rolling
Zack Wheeler has been one of the top pitchers in the league this season. He enters the game with a 6-1 record and a 2.42 ERA. Over his last three starts, he’s thrown 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings. In his last outing, he shut down the Athletics over 6.2 innings.
Wheeler has faced the Braves once this season, allowing five earned runs over 5.1 innings in a 7-5 loss. He did not get the loss in that game, but said afterward he was frustrated by not getting out of trouble. In his career, Wheeler is 13-8 with a 3.10 ERA against Atlanta.
The Phillies are winning with pitching and timely hitting. Ranger Suarez delivered six scoreless innings in Tuesday’s win. Philadelphia has won 10 of its last 11 games and is 18-8 at home. Bryce Harper is day-to-day after being hit in the elbow Tuesday, but the lineup has still found ways to produce.
Braves Preview – Looking for Consistency
Atlanta has lost five of its last six games. The team is 9-19 on the road and is nine and a half games behind Philadelphia in the NL East. Offense has been a big problem. The Braves were shut out on Tuesday and only had five hits in the loss.
AJ Smith-Shawver gets the start for Atlanta. He’s 3-2 with a 3.67 ERA but gave up seven earned runs in three innings against the Nationals in his last start. Before that, he had allowed just one earned run over his previous 19.2 innings. This will be his first time facing the Phillies in the regular season.
The Braves are averaging just 4.08 runs per game, down from previous years. They’ve struggled to hit with runners in scoring position and are hitting just .232 as a team. Injuries to players like Ronel Blanco and Reynaldo Lopez have thinned out the pitching depth, putting more pressure on young starters like Smith-Shawver.
Betting Prediction
Philadelphia is red-hot and playing well at home. They’ve won 22 of their last 30 games and are finding ways to win even without Harper in the lineup. Wheeler is pitching like an ace and should have the advantage against an Atlanta offense that is not producing right now.
Atlanta has not been a good road team and is facing a tough assignment in a day game in front of a loud Philadelphia crowd. Smith-Shawver’s last start was rough, and it’s tough to bounce back on the road against one of the best teams in baseball. Predicted score: Phillies 5, Braves 2.
Pick: Phillies -140
“`
