Two teams expected to compete for the National League championship meet in the city of brotherly love this week when the Philadelphia Phillies host the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game series.
Many would agree the Phillies are the team to beat in the National League, especially after acquiring pitcher Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays in the offseason.
Halladay hasn’t disappointed Philadelphia fans, going 5-1 in six starts with three complete games and two shutouts.
The Cy Young winner has pitched 49 innings and given up only four walks while striking out 39.
St. Louis has exceptional pitching as well.
The Cardinals have allowed only 76 runs – 66 earned – in 25 games this season. St. Louis has an MLB best team ERA of 2.55 and have allowed only 10 home runs – the fewest in the majors.
Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel and St. Louis manager Tony La Russa would probably downplay the importance of this series.
Manuel and La Russa could make a strong case for this series being exactly what it is – four games in early May with a lot of baseball still to be played.
But if either team can win three games or even sweep the series, that would send a huge message.
The series also provides the Phillies and Cardinals an opportunity to gauge their strengths and weaknesses.
On paper, the clubs share many similarities. Philadelphia and St. Louis have each committed 12 errors this season, with the Cardinals holding a slight advantage in fielding percentage over the Phillies.
The Phillies have scored more runs than the Cardinals but St. Louis has three more home runs. 
Both clubs entered Sunday’s games with 78 extra base hits and nearly identical on-base percentages, slugging averages, total bases and hits.
The Cardinals bullpen has at times been inconsistent but is getting the job done, converting eight of their 10 save opportunities.
The relievers have pitched 63 innings, giving up 17 runs and 56 hits with 52 strikeouts and 23 walks.
St. Louis closer Ryan Franklin has converted on all seven of his save opportunities this season and is 1-0 with a 3.97 ERA in 11.1 innings of work.
Philadelphia’s bullpen is a much different story, with the Phillies blowing four of their 13 save opportunities thus far.
With Brad Lidge activated from the 15-day DL on May 1, he’ll assume the closer role from Ryan Madson, who was placed on the 15-day DL with a toe injury.
Lidge didn’t look too hot in his return on Friday night against the Mets, but for now he’s the Phillies best option.
Madson had four saves as the closer, but in 9.0 innings of work he gave up 13 hits, seven runs and had an ERA of 7.00.
Philadelphia’s bullpen has pitched 63.1 innings this season, allowing 32 runs and 67 hits with 48 strikeouts and 26 walks.
With seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .340 batting average, Albert Pujols has lead the Cardinals to a 17-8 record. Pujols had a three-run double in Sunday’s 6-0 win over Cincinnati, St. Louis’ seventh victory in eight games.
Although Pujols is one of the most-feared hitters in the game, Philadelphia has done an excellent job of silencing his bat.
Pujols was 4 for 21 with a homer and two RBIs as the Cardinals dropped four of five to the Phillies last season, and his .171 average against Philadelphia since 2008 is his lowest against any team in that span.
He is also 1 for 8 lifetime against scheduled starter Joe Blanton, who is expected to come off the disabled list and make his season debut.
Blanton went 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA in 31 starts in 2009 before straining his oblique in spring training. He made three minor league rehab starts, allowing five runs over 10 innings.
The decision to activate Blanton at this time seems to be a good one, as the right-hander has posted a 1.71 ERA in winning three career starts against the Cardinals.
Ryan Howard, meanwhile, has crushed St. Louis pitching.
Howard was 9 for 18 with two homers, two doubles and 10 RBIs against the Cardinals last season, and is batting .400 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs in 13 career home games against them.
Howard hit his fifth homer of the season and finished with a season-best three hits in Sunday’s 11-5 win over New York. Shane Victorino added a grand slam to help the Phillies take a one-half game lead over the Mets.
St. Louis will send Jaime Garcia (2-1, 1.04 ERA) to the mound for Monday’s series opener. Garcia, the Cardinals only left-hander in the starting rotation, has given up only five runs in 26 innings in his four starts.
On Tuesday, St. Louis will send Adam Wainwright (4-1, 2.13 ERA) to the hill against Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels (2-2, 5.28 ERA). On Wednesday, Brad Penny (3-1, 1.56 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals against the Phillies’ Kyle Kendrick (0-1, 7.61 ERA).
The series finale on Thursday features Roy Halladay going for the Phillies against the Cardinals Kyle Lohse (0-1, 5.28 ERA).
