A key battle on the MLB odds menu sees visiting Washington duelling Philadelphia on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

John Lannan, with a record of 8-7 on the season, gets the ball for the Nationals, while the Phillies trot Roy Oswalt to the mound in this one. He is 4-7 so far in 2011.



View Washington vs Philadelphia Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
The visitors opened as +-240 moneyline underdogs in this one at most online sportsbooks tracked at Odds Shark. The total opened at 8.5 for those preferring over under wagers.

Power Rankings:
According to new MLB Power Rankings here, it's the National League No. 1-ranked Phillies and the National League No. 16-rated Nationals in this matchup.



How They Match Up:
When it comes to getting on base, the visiting Nationals rank No. 15 in the National League at 8 hits per game. That compares with Philadelphia’s No. 8 ranking in that category.

Defensively, Washington features the National League's No. 12-rated defense on the road, allowing 4.5 runs per game. Philadelphia, meanwhile, comes in at No. 5 in the National League at home, scoring 4.4 runs per game.

Washington won its last outing, a 4-2 result against the Phillies on August 12. Bettors who backed the Nationals at +235 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (6) sent UNDER bettors to the payout window. The Nationals enjoyed a 4-2 victory at the expense of the Phillies on Friday, with Livan Hernandez throwing 6 2/3 innings of 4-hit ball at Citizens Bank Park.




Washington Nationals Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Philadelphia are 4-6
After playing Philadelphia are 5-5
After a win are 4-6

Philadelphia Phillies Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
Before playing Washington are 6-4
After playing Washington are 5-5
After a loss are 9-1

A few Nationals at Phillies trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Washington is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Washington
Philadelphia is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
Philadelphia is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games at home
Philadelphia is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing Washington


Next up:
Washington at Philadelphia, Sunday, August 14