Eickhoff, Rea square off as Phillies look for continued success against Padres

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

PHILADELPHIA — Jerad Eickhoff. Colin Rea.

One's from Indiana, the other from a couple of states northwest in Iowa.

The former drafted in the 15th round of the 2011 amateur draft, the latter in the 12th of the same year.

And yet—separated just one day apart from birth—the 25-year-old right-handers with a combined 17 games and 92 innings of Major League experience will take the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies (3-5) and San Diego Padres (3-5), respectively, Wednesday evening in the third of a four-game set.

In 81 games against the Padres since 2004, the Phillies have won 56 (26 at home), averaging 4.64 runs per contest. The Phillies have won eight of their last 10 games against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park dating back to Sept. 11, 2013.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

Colin Rea — Age: 25;

• Last Start: April 8, 2016, at COL: ND, 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO, HR
• Career vs. PHI: (0-1), 1 G, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, HR, 7.20 ERA

Rea will look different to Phillies batters from the last time he faced them on August 29, 2015, at Citizens Bank Park.

In an effort to avoid the same right elbow and forearm soreness that caused him to miss the last few weeks of the 2015 season, the right-hander added 23 pounds of muscle over the offseason. Rea told MLB.com that his legs weren't "underneath" him, and that he didn't think his "core stability was as strong as it should be."

Rea has struck out at least four batters in each of his seven career Major League starts.

Jerad Eickhoff — Age: 25;

• Last Start: April 8, 2016, at NYM: L, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
• Career vs. SD: N/A

Eickhoff earns his fourth career start at Citizens Bank Park, a venue in which he is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.900 WHIP ratio.

Four of the right-hander's nine career Major League starts have come in opposition of the New York Mets. Only twice has he faced an opponent outside of the National League East division: the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs on Sept. 6 and 12 respectively of last season.

Eickhoff had a slow start to the spring, as he did not make his Grapefruit League debut until March 22 due to being sidelined with a small right thumb fracture.

Starting Lineups:

Broadcast Information:

• First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
• TV: TCN
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

 Game Notes:

• The Phillies' bullpen has thrown exactly 100 pitches less in Games 5-8 this season (151) than in Games 1-4 (261). In 10 2/3 innings each, its ERA and WHIP has improved from 12.66 to 0.00 and from 2.437 to 0.562, respectively. After starting the season 0-4, the Phillies are 3-1 over their last four games.

• Phillies starting pitching has combined for a 2.87 ERA and a 0.936 WHIP ratio over 47 innings so far this season. Average line: 5.9 IP, 4.0 H, 2.1 R, 1.9 ER, 1.5 BB, 6.3 SO, 0.5 HR, 89.1 pitches, 58.8 strikes.

• Center fielder Odubel Herrera currently leads the Phillies in runs-batted-in, 5, and walks, 5. He is riding a five-game hitting streak. In Tuesday evening's 3-0 shutout victory over the Padres, Herrera tripled-home the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. This was his second extra-base hit of the season (1 triple, 1 home run), after having 41 during his 2015 rookie campaign (30 doubles, 3 triples, 8 home runs).

What's Next:

• Thursday, April 14, 2016: vs. San Diego Padres, 1:05 p.m.
• Citizens Bank Park
  
• LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Vincent Velasquez (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
• TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP