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Phillies-Cubs Preview

Jul 16, 2010 - 11:36 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Philadelphia (47-41) at Chicago (40-50), 1:05 p.m. EDT

A lack of clutch hitting was a main cause for the Chicago Cubs' first-half woes, but Aramis Ramirez has done his best to try to help change that since the All-Star break.

The third baseman will try to stay hot as Chicago continues its four-game home series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

The Cubs (41-50) were among the NL's worst in scoring runs (359) and hitting with runners in scoring position (.250) before the All-Star break but returned Thursday night with a 12-6 rout of the Phillies (47-42).

Ramirez hit a pair of two-run doubles to help his team go 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position to start its season-high 10-game homestand.

He had three hits in a 4-3 victory Friday, including the tie-breaking homer with two outs in the eighth inning. All-Star outfielder Marlon Byrd, batting .417 in his last 10 games, also hit a tying two-run shot in the sixth.

After batting .178 in his first 56 games, Ramirez is 16 for 33 (.485) with five homers, 13 runs scored and 14 RBIs over his past eight. Eleven of his hits over that span have gone for extra bases.

"He's staying on the ball well. He's taking good swings at pitches and he's driving the ball. It's big difference from the first half. One of the ingredients that was missing here obviously," manager Lou Piniella said. "And now it's back."

The Cubs third baseman had batted .195 in his previous 21 games against Philadelphia entering the series, but he'll try to keep rolling in Randy Wells' first matchup with the two-time defending NL champs.

Wells (4-7, 4.61 ERA) could use the help as he's been given an average of 2.4 runs over his last 13 outings and gone 1-7 with a 5.11 ERA. He's posted a 2.18 ERA in his last three starts but managed one win.

The right-hander gave up three runs and six hits over seven innings July 8 but was on the wrong end of a 3-2 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In his attempt to bounce back, he'll try to deny Phillies starter Cole Hamels a fourth straight win over Chicago.

Hamels (7-7, 3.78) enters this matchup fresh off his first win in five starts, 1-0 over Cincinnati on Sunday. After posting a 5.04 ERA over the previous four games, the left-hander yielded six hits over 7 2-3 innings.

Hamels hasn't faced the Cubs since Aug. 28, 2008, but is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA in five career matchups.

He'll try to earn another win with help from Ryan Howard, who extended his hitting streak at Wrigley Field to 16 games Friday with his third two-run homer in the series. Howard has batted .328 with six homers and 18 RBIs during that run.

The Phillies could get some help in their lineup as manager Charlie Manuel said third baseman Placido Polanco, batting .318, could be activated from the disabled list Saturday. A sore left elbow has kept him out of the lineup since June 25.

Philadelphia batted .233 in the 18 games Polanco has missed - .199 in the last eight - and struck out 25 times in this series.

"That's why we've had trouble. We take a lot of strike three's," Manuel said. "We've been taking a lot (pitches). We haven't hit for a long time."