First pitch: Monday, 10:10 p.m. EDT
Line: Philadelphia -170, Los Angeles +160, Total: 6.5

The Phillies are sizzling hot, winning 10 of 11 to go 35 games above .500. Philadelphia also has a commanding 8½-game lead in the NL East over the very good Atlanta Braves, who have the second-best record in the National League. Los Angeles rattled off 13 hits in Monday night’s series opener, but went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and lost 5-3. The series continues Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Phils will send one of their many aces to the mound Tuesday, as Cliff Lee has dominated the Dodgers in three career starts against them, posting an amazing 0.40 ERA. Philadelphia is also the NL’s best road team (34-22, +6.4 Units) and the Phillies love pitching duels, going 35-16 (.686) when the total is seven or less. Los Angeles has not defended its home turf too well, going 28-32 (-10.6 Units) at home, while posting a poor 18-25 mark (.419) when playing against a team with a winning record. The -170 line is a steep price, but with the Phillies rolling and Lee likely to dominate L.A. again, take PHILADELPHIA to win again.

This highly-rated FoxSheets trend also backs the Phillies.

Play Against - All underdogs with a money line of +125 to +175 (L.A. DODGERS) - bad offensive team (<=4.1 runs/game) against a good starting pitcher (ERA<=3.70) (NL), with a decent bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 to 1.450 on the season. (81-26 over the last 5 seasons.) (75.7%, +40.3 units. Rating = 3*).

PHILADELPHIA is 60-27 (69.0%, +26.9 Units) against the money line vs. an average bullpen whose ERA is 3.75 to 4.50 over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PHILADELPHIA 4.8, OPPONENT 3.7 - (Rating = 2*).

Many expected Philadelphia to be the best team in the National League and up to now have lived up to it. The Phillies look to move 36 games over .500 for the first time in 34 years. They do have a couple of injury concerns, as 3B Placido Polanco underwent an MRI exam on Monday and was diagnosed with a chronic sports hernia and will be reevaluated on Friday. OF Shane Victorino appealed his suspension on Monday night while going 3-for-5 with a homer and three runs scored.

Although Cliff Lee (11-7, 2.96 ERA) had a lackluster July, going 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA in five starts, he started off August on the right foot. Lee tossed a seven-hit shutout at San Francisco, striking out eight and walking none. He has absolutely owned the Dodgers in three starts against them. After getting a no-decision in 2008 (7.1 IP, 1 ER), he shut them out for eight innings in the 2009 NLCS Game 3 and blanked them for seven frames on June 6. In the three outings, Lee has a 0.81 WHIP, 23 strikeouts and just two walks.

Ted Lilly (7-11, 4.86 ERA) gets the ball on Tuesday and is coming off a loss in which he threw six innings, allowing only one run on four hits and striking out seven. Lilly is 0-5 with a 6.55 ERA in his past six starts against the Phillies, but pitched well the last time he opposed Lee, throwing six innings and allowing two runs on five hits which unfortunately ended in a 3-1 loss. The Dodgers could use their RBI man Matt Kemp (.317 BA, 26 HR, 84 RBI) to start driving in runs again, as he has not knocked in a run in five straight games.