Monday, July 18, 2011
Posted: 1:30 p.m.
CSNPhilly.com
Phillies (59-35) at Cubs (38-58), 8:05 on CSN
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Roy Halladay (11-3, 2.45) goes for the Phillies, who have won each of the last 10 games started by the reigning Cy Young Award winner. Halladay gave up two runs in seven innings in his last start - a 3-2 win against Atlanta on July 8. Halladay is just 1-3 all-time against the Cubs, though his ERA is a respectable 3.24 in those starts.
Cubs: Rodrigo Lopez (1-2, 4.02) will go for Chicago as the veteran right-hander also makes his first start since July 8. Lopez, who pitched for the Phillies in 2009, has a 5.74 ERA in 26 23 career innings against his former team.
Previous games
The Phillies took two of three from the Mets this weekend. In Sunday's finale,Kyle Kendrick gave up one run in seven innings, while Michael Martinez drove in four runs in the 8-5 triumph.
The Cubs lost three of four against the Marlins this weekend, including a 7-5 defeat on Sunday. Aramis Ramirez drove in two runs for Chicago, but Kerry Wood allowed three runs in the eighth to absorb the loss.
Head-to-head
The Phils went 3-1 against the Cubs last month in a series at Citizens Bank Park. The only loss was an 11-inning defeat in which Ryan Madson blew his only save of the season.
Whos hot?
Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-5 on Sunday and has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games. Raul Ibanez has four multi-hit efforts in a row. For Chicago, Ramirez has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games and has driven in five runs in his last two games.
Storylines
The Phillies are giving the ball to Halladay on nine days' rest, easily his longest off-time of the season. ... Cubs SS Starlin Castro is 3-for-6 lifetime against Halladay. ... The Cubs have lost eight of their last 11 and sit a season-high 20 games below .500. ... Ryan Howard is 6-for-11 with a homer all-time against Lopez. ... The Phillies are 16-3 with Halladay on the mound this season. ... In three of Halladay's last four seasons, his first start after the All-Star break saw him give up at least five runs.
Sound off
Have you ever seen a game at Wrigley Field and, if so, where does it rank among your favorite stadiums?