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Gameday: Twins (39-31) at Phillies (35-31)

Minnesota Twins (39-31) at Philadelphia Phillies (35-31)

Carl Pavano, RHP (7-6, 3.92 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay, RHP (8-5, 2.36 ERA)

Time: 1:35, Citizens Bank Park
Weather: Sunny, 90
TV: FOX
Twitter: @philliesnation

First off, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! …

Have you ever been punched right in the face or the gut and been completely stunned at what just transpired? That was yesterday’s feeling. Rather than rehash the absolutely failure of the Twins 13-10, extra inning loss, let’s look ahead to today.

Roy Halladay pitches, which is usually called “Win Day” in these parts. That, unfortunately, hasn’t been the case lately. Doc has lost back-to-back starts and four of his last six since starting the season 6-1. Two of those loses came in games where he went at least 8 innings and gave up two runs or less. Unlucky? Maybe. Today, he’ll face a Twins lineup that has some extra confidence left over from yesterday.

Carl Pavano is opposite Halladay and has resuscitated his career with Minnesota after some bad years in New York. He has a respectable sub-four ERA in the American League, however, he does play in a very shallow Central Division with the likes of KC and Cleveland. The Phillies offense has sprung back into action and will look to pounce on Pavano just as they did Kevin Slowey and Nick Blackburn the previous two games. Against the Phillies in his career, Pavano is 5-7 with a 4.86 ERA in 20 starts.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is 5 for 10 with seven RBIs in this series. He is hitting .320 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 29 home games this year, compared to .228 with two homers and 12 RBIs on the road. Against Pavano lifetime, Chase is 4 for 8 with a homer and two doubles.

Carlos Ruiz is again out of the lineup. Yesterday, Charlie Manuel said Chooch would be sidelined until Wednesday at the earliest.

Enjoy your Father’s Day and pray for a win!

LINEUP: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Schneider C, Valdez SS, Halladay P

Your Gameday Beer– Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale
Had this beer last night as I’m on a Nut Brown Ale kick lately (think Sam Smith). It was very smooth and you can taste the hints of maple syrup and chocolate they use. No wonder I felt a little loopy after just two pints – it’s 9% ABV. So be careful and handle with care. Tommyknocker is a Denver based brewery and they have a full line of different beers, so be sure to check them out. – By Pat

Go Phillies!

Pat Gallen

Pat joined Phillies Nation in July 2009, coming over from Examiner.com. As a previous employee of both Comcast SportsNet and the National Basketball Association, Pat prides himself on being a well-rounded individual when it comes to sports. However, the Phillies are first on the list. You’ll usually find Pat chiming in on the Phillies Nation Facebook or Twitter account, weekdays on 97.3 ESPN radio or hosting Phillies Nation TV. He’s also a Senior Writer for the site, and in his free time is a music enthusiast and Will Ferrell movie-follower. His favorite beer: Philly’s own Yards. In 2015, Pat moved on from Phillies Nation as a sports anchor and reporter for CBS-3 in Philadelphia.