 05/17/2003 10:05 PM ET
Phils turn to ace to win series
Phillies (23-19) @ Houston (23-19) 8:05 p.m. ET
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By Ken Mandel / MLB.com
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• Astros preview
HOUSTON -- For the first time this season, the Phillies will play in front of a national audience, as ESPN will air their final visit to Minute Maid Park this season.
The last time the Phillies played in a game on ESPN was Sept. 15, 1996, when Curt Schilling pitched a complete-game six-hitter over the Reds. Benito Santiago hit three home runs for the Phillies and Ruben Amaro Jr., now the team's assistant general manager, went 1-for-4, playing right field.
Philadelphia will send ace Kevin Millwood to the mound, who is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA at Minute Maid. He has also adapted well to his role as stopper, with three of his five wins coming after Phillies losses. He also got the Phillies off to a good start Opening Day when he beat the Marlins.
Kevin Millwood
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Brandon Duckworth needed 93 pitches to get through five innings, so Bowa had to use Terry Adams and Rheal Cormier for two innings each. The Phillies again find themselves in need of at least seven innings from Millwood, something he has delivered in three of his nine starts. In four others, he's gone six.
Houston counters with Tim Redding,who is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA against Philadelphia.
Pitching matchup:
PHI: RHP Kevin Millwood
2003 record: 5-1, 3.19
Lifetime vs. HOU: 3-2, 3.43
HOU: RHP Tim Redding
2003 record: 3-2, 3.32
Lifetime vs. PHI: 1-0, 2.77
Player to watch:
Placido Polanco had three hits, including a home run on Saturday. He also scored three runs.
Quotable:
"We were watching it and went 'Oh wow!' I can't hit a golf ball that far." -- Brandon Duckworth, on Jim Thome's home run in the ninth inning.
On the Internet:
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
Gameday
On television:
Phillies: ESPN
Astros: ESPN
On radio:
Phillies: WPEN 950 AM
Astros: KTRH 740 AM
Quick hits:
The Phillies grounded into six double plays on Saturday. ... Thome's homer was the eighth longest at Minute Maid Park. ... Rheal Cormier has a 19 1/3-inning scoreless streak.
On deck:
Monday OFF; Tuesday at New York; Wednesday at New York; Thursday at New York; Friday at Montreal; Saturday at Montreal; Sunday at Montreal.
Ken Mandel is a reporter for
MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball
or its clubs.
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