Final
Cubs-Phillies Preview
Jul 19, 2009 - 11:14 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS WriterChicago (46-43) at Philadelphia (50-38), 7:05 p.m. EDT
The All-Star break certainly didn't slow down the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.
They'll attempt to win a ninth straight game for the first time in more than three years Monday night when they open a three-game home series against the surging Chicago Cubs.
The Phillies (51-38) entered the All-Star break with five straight wins to conclude a 9-1 homestand, during which they outscored opponents 66-27 while batting .302 with 15 homers. They returned from the layoff to take three games at division rival Florida in a rain-shortened set, capped by Sunday's 5-0 victory.
Philadelphia's eight-game winning streak is its longest since a nine-game run April 30-May 9, 2006. That streak was also the last time the club won six in a row at Citizens Bank Park.
A revitalized Jimmy Rollins, who collected three hits and came a homer shy of the cycle Sunday, has been a major reason for the recent surge. The shortstop is hitting .397 (23 for 58) with eight doubles, a homer, eight RBIs, five stolen bases and 10 walks over his last 14 games.
That stretch has raised the 2007 NL MVP's batting average from .205 to .236, and has come after he went 0 for 27 in his previous seven contests.
"When he gets on base, he makes things happen and it's definitely a different offense," Phillies left fielder Raul Ibanez said. "He's such an electric player."
The Phillies will give the ball to Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 3.18 ERA), who is hoping a long layoff will help him put a shoulder injury behind him.
The right-hander had his last outing on July 8 cut short after five innings due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder, and he didn't factor in the decision of a 3-2 win over Cincinnati. He was effective despite the injury, allowing two runs and five hits with four strikeouts.
That performance came five days after he yielded two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 7-2 win over New York, earning his first major league win in nearly two years just hours after being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Lopez hasn't faced the Cubs since getting tagged for eight runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of an 8-5 loss with Colorado on June 26, 2007.
The Phillies won four of seven meetings with Chicago last season. They took two of three at Philadelphia from April 11-13, 2008, and haven't dropped a home series against the Cubs since losing two of three April 6-8, 2001.
The Cubs (47-43) are looking to match their season-high five game winning streak - set May 10-16 - after completing a four-game sweep of major league-worst Washington with an 11-3 victory Sunday.
"We'll go into Philly with some momentum, playing better on the road," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said after watching his team collect a season high-tying 16 hits Sunday. "They're hot as heck, so we'll see."
Ted Lilly (9-6, 3.18), the team leader in wins, strikeouts (101) and innings (119), is scheduled to take the mound after left knee inflammation pushed back his scheduled start from two days.
"I was feeling OK," Lilly told the Cubs' official Web site. "Hopefully with the rest, it'll give me a chance to feel better."
The left-hander, the Cubs' lone All-Star representative, has won his last two starts while allowing three runs and 13 hits with 13 strikeouts in 14 1-3 innings. He had been 0-2 with a 4.39 ERA in his four prior outings.
Lilly's last trip to the mound resulted in his 100th victory. He allowed one run and four hits in eight innings of a 5-2 win over St. Louis on July 11.
Lilly has compiled a 6.75 ERA while losing his last three starts against the Phillies, two of them last year.
- ** CONFIRMED **
NL
CHICAGO CUBS 1
PHILADELPHIA 10 FINAL
Jul 20 9:49 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY RYAN HOWARD (24) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 0 OUT
IN THE 8TH OFF ANGEL GUZMAN.
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 1, PHILADELPHIA 10
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: R IBANEZ (.316, 1-FOR-3, HR, 3 RBI)
Cubs 1, Phillies 10 Bot 8, 0 OutsJul 20 9:29 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RYAN THERIOT SCORED ANDRES BLANCO
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R THERIOT ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 1
PHILADELPHIA 9 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: D LEE (.282, 0-FOR-2)
Cubs 1, Phillies 9 Top 5, 0 OutsJul 20 8:41 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY CHASE UTLEY SCORED SHANE VICTORINO
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, C UTLEY ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 0
PHILADELPHIA 9 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: R HOWARD (.260, 0-FOR-2)
Cubs 0, Phillies 9 Bot 4, 0 OutsJul 20 8:36 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY ALFONSO SORIANO ALLOWED CARLOS RUIZ TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, S VICTORINO ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 0
PHILADELPHIA 8 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: C UTLEY (.310, 0-FOR-2)
Cubs 0, Phillies 8 Bot 4, 0 OutsJul 20 8:34 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JIMMY ROLLINS SCORED PEDRO FELIZ
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C RUIZ ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 0
PHILADELPHIA 7 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: S VICTORINO (.309, 2-FOR-2)
Cubs 0, Phillies 7 Bot 4, 0 OutsJul 20 8:31 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY CARLOS RUIZ SCORED JAYSON WERTH
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C RUIZ ON SECOND, P FELIZ ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 0
PHILADELPHIA 6 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: R LOPEZ (.000, 0-FOR-1)
Cubs 0, Phillies 6 Bot 4, 0 OutsJul 20 8:28 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY CARLOS RUIZ (4) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 2ND OFF TED LILLY SCORED PEDRO FELIZ.
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 0, PHILADELPHIA 5
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: R LOPEZ (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
Cubs 0, Phillies 5 Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 20 7:43 PM - NL
AT PHILADELPHIA - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY RAUL IBANEZ (25) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 1ST OFF TED LILLY SCORED SHANE VICTORINO AND JIMMY
ROLLINS.
CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 0, PHILADELPHIA 3
DUE UP FOR PHILADELPHIA: J WERTH (.262, 20 HR, 58 RBI)
Cubs 0, Phillies 3 Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 20 7:30 PM
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