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Phillies-Cubs Preview

Jul 16, 2010 - 5:39 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Philadelphia (47-40) at Chicago (39-50), 2:20 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Cubs had a great start to the second half of the season, but it might be too late to keep left-hander Ted Lilly in town.

With the trade deadline looming and the Cubs well out of playoff contention, Lilly could be making one of his final starts with the team Friday when Chicago tries to win back-to-back games at Wrigley Field for the first time in nearly a month.

Trailing NL Central-leading Cincinnati by 9 1/2 games coming out of the All-Star break, Chicago (40-50) opened its season-high 10-game homestand Thursday night with a 12-6 victory over Philadelphia (47-41), which had won four straight overall and five in a row at Wrigley Field.

Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro each had three hits and Aramis Ramirez added a season high-tying four RBIs.

"This is what we hoped for," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "... We talked about it - 3, 4, 5, 6. That's the big part of your lineup and when they're doing some damage, you're going to score some runs and today they did some damage and we scored a lot of runs."

Chicago, which owns one of the worst home records in the NL at 21-23, will look to win consecutive home games for the first time since June 16 and 17 as Lilly (3-8, 4.08 ERA) tries to focus on the Phillies' lineup rather than the growing number of questions about his future with the team. A free agent following the season, the veteran left-hander is a prime candidate to be dealt to a contending club prior to the July 31 trade deadline.

"I've got my hands full just getting guys out," Lilly told the Cubs' official website. "I'm busy doing that. I've got to go out and get hitters out regardless of anything else that's going on around me and that's it."

He wasn't very successful getting hitters out in his last outing, allowing seven runs and seven hits in Friday's 9-7 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is 0-2 with a 12.19 ERA in his last two starts.

"The only thing that doesn't feel good is the way the ball's coming out of my hand the last couple of starts," Lilly said after lasting a season-low 3 2-3 innings. "Mechanically, I've got to get on top of the ball a little bit better."

He has lost his last four starts against Philadelphia, posting an 8.55 ERA during those games.

The Phillies will give the ball to Joe Blanton, (3-5, 6.41), who was saved a loss in his last outing when his offense rallied for six ninth-inning runs Friday in a 9-7, 10-inning victory over the Reds. The right-hander was tagged for six runs and 12 hits over 5 1-3 innings.

"It was a tough game for (Blanton)," manager Charlie Manuel told the Phillies' official website.

Manuel will look for a better effort from Blanton, who gave up three runs over seven innings before leaving without a decision in the Phillies' 5-4 win over the visiting Cubs on May 20.

Blanton has no record and a 2.75 ERA in three starts versus Chicago.

Ryan Howard, who hit a pair of two-run homers Thursday, is batting .333 with five home runs and 16 RBIs during a 15-game hitting streak at Wrigley Field. He is 3 for 11 with a homer and six strikeouts lifetime versus Lilly.