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Phillies-Cubs Preview

Jul 17, 2010 - 10:43 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Philadelphia (47-42) at Chicago (41-50), 8:05 p.m. EDT

After giving their ace a break following his latest All-Star game appearance, the Philadelphia Phillies are hoping Roy Halladay is ready to lead them back to the postseason.

Halladay kicks off his second half by trying to beat the Chicago Cubs for the first time as the Phillies look to salvage a four-game split at Wrigley Field on Sunday night.

Philadelphia (48-42) acquired Halladay from Toronto in the offseason, with the veteran joining the two-time reigning NL champions in hopes of pitching in the postseason for the first time.

Despite a strong first half from Halladay that earned him his seventh All-Star nod, the Phillies entered the break chasing both Atlanta and the New York Mets in the NL East.

After Halladay (10-7, 2.19 ERA) made a brief appearance at the Midsummer Classic in Anaheim, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel opted to give him a few more days off before Sunday's start.

"So many games he's gone into the eighth inning throwing 116, 120 pitches," Manuel told the team's official website. "He's had seven complete games. That's way more than anybody else."

Halladay's seventh complete game came in a 3-1 win over Atlanta on July 5. He could have had his eighth if he'd gotten any run support five days later against Cincinnati.

While Reds rookie Travis Wood flirted with a perfect game, Halladay threw nine dominating innings of his own, making it possible for Philadelphia to win 1-0 in 11.

The Cubs are one of four major league teams Halladay has never beaten. He's lost both of his starts against Chicago, including a 2-0 defeat with the Blue Jays in his only appearance at Wrigley on June 8, 2005.

The Phillies dropped the first two games of this series, and were one out away from another defeat Saturday before Cubs closer Carlos Marmol blew the save. Marmol walked five in the ninth inning and Philadelphia scored four times to win 4-1.

Placido Polanco's two-out RBI single tied the game. The infielder was making his first appearance since June 25 after a stint on the disabled list due to left elbow inflammation.

"Sometimes all it takes is one good at-bat, one good hit, one good win to get the team going," Polanco said.

The Cubs (41-51) are also in need of a spark as they try to get back in the NL Central race, and winning a home series could be that spark. Chicago has won one of its last six series at Wrigley, where it is 9-13 since May 28.

Tom Gorzelanny (4-5, 3.16) is seeking his first home win since May 2, although he spent most of June in the bullpen. The left-hander has been sharp since returning to the rotation, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts.

"He's been doing a great job all year," Cubs All-Star representative Marlon Byrd said after Gorzelanny pitched six strong innings in a 7-3 win over the Dodgers on July 10. "He took his move to the 'pen like a champ, and now he's come back and shown why he wants to be in the rotation."

Gorzelanny, who has a chance to win three consecutive starts for the first time in his career, blanked Philadelphia for 6 2-3 innings of the Cubs' 4-1 win on May 19.

The Phillies are looking to salvage splits of both the six-game season series and this weekend's set.