Phillies at Cubs
The
Phillies, who again boast one of the top pitching staffs in the major
leagues, have run hot and cold offensively. Philadelphia has scored one
run or fewer on 10 different occasions this season, but Wednesday’s 9-2
win marked the eighth time that the team has plated at least seven runs.
The Cubs’ lineup has often been even more anemic than that of the
Phillies - none of the final 17 Chicago hitters in Wednesday’s game
reached base.
Thursday’s matchup looks to be a mismatch on paper.
Even though he has had some shaky outings recently, Philadelphia
starter Roy Halladay is still among the elite hurlers in the National
League. Meanwhile, the Cubs are 0-7 with starter Chris Volstad on the
mound this season. A Chicago victory Thursday would even the season
series between the two last-place teams at 3-3.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, WB17 (Philadelphia), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Roy Halladay (3-3, 3.20 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Chris Volstad (0-5, 6.92)
Philadelphia
has lost Halladay’s last five starts, and he has looked surprisingly
mortal in the process, allowing 17 runs in his last 33 1/3 innings (4.59
ERA). One of those defeats came at home against the Cubs on April 27,
when the right-hander allowed three runs in seven innings of work.
Halladay is 1-5 all-time against Chicago with a 3.75 ERA in six starts.
Halladay’s
bad days would still be pretty good for Volstad, who has allowed at
least four runs in all but one of his seven starts - all of which the
Cubs have lost. He has given up 11 runs over his last 11 innings in
setbacks against Los Angeles and Milwaukee. Volstad has made 13 lifetime
starts against the Phillies, going 2-5 with a 5.89 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs are 15-14 when Volstad is not the starting pitcher.
2.
Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano (15-for-61, two homers, 21
strikeouts) accounts for nearly half of Chicago’s all-time at-bats
against Halladay. Shortstop Starlin Castro has had the most success,
going 6-for-12.
3. The Phillies are a combined 80-for-226 (.354)
against Volstad, but his greatest nemesis, first baseman Ryan Howard
(13-for-26, eight homers, 13 RBIs) is on the disabled list.