Phillies at Yankees odds – Bronx Bombers will tee off on Phillies’ pitching

Online sports book players knew it was only a matter of time before the New York Yankees came on, and it’s the high-priced bats that are making a difference.

As of Thursday, the Yankees were riding an eight-game winning streak, carrying plenty of momentum into their three-game series with the defending champs from Philadelphia—and the Phillies’ pitching hasn’t been worth placing a bet on all season.

Phillies vs Yankees odds – Yankees’ bats will carry them to series victory

• Burnett his usual inconsistent self
• Phillies’ Happ makes first start of the year
• Hamels, Sabathia square off in pitchers’ duel

Brett Myers (3-2, 4.50) vs A.J. Burnett (2-1, 5.02)
Friday, May 22, 7:05 PM ET

Myers has only met the Yankees once in his eight-year career, allowing a pair of runs on six hits in 6.2 innings while striking out 11 as the Phillies doubled New York 4-2 at home back in 2006. Burnett hasn’t done so well against Philadelphia, going 5-7 in 15 starts, along with one relief appearance, and an ERA of 4.57. Burnett is living up to his billing since putting on the pinstripes: a lot of strikeouts, a lot of walks, and inconsistency. Myers has won two straight decisions, but the Yankees are coming off a series in which the bats destroyed Baltimore, so they’ll take that into Friday. Bet on the Yankees odds.

J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.49) vs Andy Pettitte (4-1, 4.18)
Saturday, May 23, 4:10 PM ET

Happ, a 26-year-old southpaw, will be making his first start of the season by replacing Chan-Ho Park in the rotation, and this will be his first meeting with the Yankees. Happ has bounced around in the Phillies’ minor-league system for the last couple of years, but he’s made enough of an impact in relief that coach Carlie Manuel believes he can stick around this season. He’ll be facing a 15-year veteran (and fellow lefty) in Pettitte, who is 2-2 in six career starts against the Phillies with a respectable 3.38 ERA. Pettitte is still giving the Yankees some good innings and Happ could face some nerves dealing with the hostile crowd in the Bronx. Bet on the New York Yankees on Saturday.

Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.95) vs C.C. Sabathia (4-3, 3.43)
Sunday, May 24, 1:05 PM ET

In the premier pitching matchup of the weekend and the second straight southpaw duel, last year’s NLCS MVP takes on the AL’s 2007 Cy Young winner. Sabathia has won his last three starts and is looking like the guy who dragged Milwaukee to the playoffs in the second half of last season, but he stumbled when facing the Phillies in last year’s NLDS, giving up five runs on six hits in just 3.2 innings of a 5-2 Philadelphia win. Hamels faced the Yankees in 2006 as a rookie and he did okay, scattering a pair of runs on six hits over seven innings, but the Phillies lost 5-0 at home. He’s battled some injuries this year, but Hamels is working his way back to his 2008 form, which is great news as the Phillies are 15th in the National League in ERA. Expect the big-game Hamels to get the better of his duel with Sabathia, but just barely. Take the Phillies for a baseball betting upset.

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Before his arm flamed out, Dale “Skip” Lalonde was famous for his high-90s heat and power at the plate. He retired young but never turned his back on baseball, earning the nickname “Skip” for his high-school coaching prowess. A true student of the game, he loves crunching the numbers when he handicaps baseball. Email Comments@BetOnline.com.