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Phillies-Giants Preview

Jul 30, 2009 - 6:21 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Philadelphia (58-41) at San Francisco (55-46), 10:15 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies made a major addition to their rotation Wednesday, but even the best starting pitching in baseball won't be able to help the NL East leaders if they don't score any runs.

Shut out for the first time in nearly three months on the same day they traded for Cliff Lee, the Phillies look to bounce back and avoid their first consecutive losses in almost a month as they open a four-game road series against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.

Philadelphia (58-41) has been one of the hottest teams in baseball, averaging 6.22 runs and batting .280 while going 19-4 since July 3. On Wednesday night, though, the Phillies managed only seven hits and went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position in a 4-0 loss at Arizona. The shutout loss - their third of the year and first since May 6 - put them in danger of dropping back-to-back games for the first time since July 1-2.

Wednesday's uncharacteristic performance came hours after Philadelphia acquired Lee from Cleveland. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA this year after going 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA last season. He's the second Cy Young winner the Phillies have added this summer along with three-time winner Pedro Martinez, who signed July 15 and is in the minors preparing for his debut.

"One of our goals has been to add someone to our rotation that can be a difference-maker," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a conference call following the Lee trade. "It's important to show our guys on the field that we're making the best effort to put the best team out there."

San Francisco (55-46) also made a move to help its playoff chances Wednesday, acquiring three-time All-Star infielder Freddy Sanchez from Pittsburgh. Sanchez isn't sure when he'll debut with his new club because of a knee injury.

Before getting Sanchez, the Giants finished a three-game sweep of the Pirates with a 1-0 victory in 10 innings. Matt Cain allowed three hits in nine innings and Randy Winn singled home Eugenio Velez with two outs in the 10th.

Velez - an outfielder who's split time between the Giants and the minors the last three seasons - is 5 for 10 with a home run, two walks, two RBIs and two runs scored in three games since his most recent recall from Triple-A Fresno.

"He's got a lot of confidence going," manager Bruce Bochy told the Giants' official Web site. "That started in Fresno, the way he's been playing, and he brought it up here with him."

Velez hopes to continue his strong play behind Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez (3-9, 4.92 ERA), making his first home start since pitching the majors' first no-hitter of the season in his final outing before the All-Star break.

The left-hander is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two second-half starts, both on the road. He gave up five runs in five innings of an 8-2 defeat at Colorado on Saturday.

Sanchez has a 5.40 ERA in five career games - one start - against Philadelphia.

The Phillies will counter with veteran Rodrigo Lopez (3-0, 3.09), who's making a bid to keep his spot in the rotation. Philadelphia has won each of the four games the right-hander has started since purchasing his contract from the minors July 3, including a 14-6 victory over St. Louis last Saturday.

Lopez defeated the Cardinals despite giving up four runs - three earned - and a season-high 10 hits in six innings. He gave up four runs over 5 1-3 innings in his lone start against San Francisco in 2004.