Top NL clubs collide on the diamond

The two teams at the top of the National League odds list meet for the first time this season when the Philadelphia Phillies open a two-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night (7:05 PM ET, ESPN).

oddsmaker.ag currently has the Phillies as +150 favorites to win the NL outright, while the Rockies follow them at +500, even if they�re behind the San Francisco Giants (+700) in the NL West standings.

It�s a battle of lefthanders on Wednesday. Cole Hamels (4-2, 3.19 ERA) gets the ball for Philadelphia, while Colorado sends Jorge De La Rosa (5-1, 3.70 ERA) to the hill. The Phils are 6-1 against the moneyline in Hamels� last seven starts, but he�s only 1-2 with a 4.21 ERA at home this season.

Any value in the Rockies is tempered by De La Rosa�s recent returns, however. De La Rosa has a 5.60 ERA in his last three trips to the bump, during which Colorado is 1-2 against the moneyline.

The Phillies are banged up heading into the series, although Shane Victorino (hamstring) is expected to return to the lineup. Chase Utley (knee) and Jose Contreras (elbow) remain on the 15-day disabled list, while Brad Lidge (shoulder) is on the 60-day DL.

Elsewhere on Wednesday night, the Giants renew their rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of a two-game set at Dodger Stadium (10:10 PM ET).

Los Angeles is 4-3 against San Francisco this season, including 3-1 at Chavez Ravine. The success is deceiving, however: The Giants did outscore the Dodgers 19-13 over the four-game series in L.A. to start the season.

Matt Cain (3-2, 3.22 ERA) throws for San Francisco on Wednesday, and he�s exactly who the Giants want on the mound. The righthander tossed six scoreless innings to get the win in San Francisco�s 10-0 victory as -110 faves at Los Angeles on April 2.

The Dodgers are expected to go with Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 2.75 ERA).

Over in the American League, the streaking Detroit Tigers check in at Fenway Park for a two-gamer with the Boston Red Sox. Thursday night�s finale (7:10 PM ET) features a pitching matchup involving the two hottest starters in baseball in Justin Verlander (4-3, 2.91 ERA) and Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.75 ERA).

Verlander has allowed only one run over 17 innings in his last two starts, which includes his no-hitter at Toronto, but Beckett has been even better for backers. Beckett has held opponents scoreless over his last three outings � a span of 17 1-3 innings. Overall, Beckett is 2-0 with an 0.34 ERA at home.