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MLB Preview: Philadelphia Phillies vs. LA Dodgers

The Philadelphia Phillies vs. LA Dodgers series begins with a bang as the Phillies send their best pitcher to the hill looking to get his 15th victory of the year. All of the odds for this game and all MLB games can be found at online sportsbook, Skybook.

Surely, Hunter Pence had to taste defeat at some point since joining the Phillies last weekend.

The Phillies saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-1 loss to Tim Lincecum and the Giants on Sunday, the first with Pence in uniform in nine games.

Lincecum has been trouble for Phillies hitters going back to last year's National League Championship Series, but taking three of four at AT&T Park sent a clear message that the Phillies are the NL's team to beat come October.

Their opponent Monday, the Dodgers, are trying to make a late run to climb back in contention in the NL West and are doing so with stellar pitching. Before Sunday's 4-3 loss to the D-backs, which dropped them 10 games behind the Giants, the Dodgers' pitching staff had posted a Major League-best 2.86 ERA, including a league-best 222 strikeouts, since July 7. The Dodgers are 15-10 over that stretch.

Monday's starter in Los Angeles, Hiroki Kuroda, has been a thorn in the Phillies' side in the same vein as Lincecum. In five career starts, he's allowed three earned runs in 32 innings, and the Phillies are hitting just .107 against him.

But this is a different Phillies lineup, especially since acquiring Pence. During the team's recent nine-game winning streak, it hit .293 with 38 extra-base hits and a .523 slugging percentage.

The Phillies know a thing or two about great pitching, and Halladay will look to become the NL's first 15-game winner. He's coming off a rocky start by his standards, allowing four earned runs on eight hits over seven innings Aug. 3 at Colorado.

This game will be a tough fought battle to watch and will provide great action to start the week off right.