Phillies at Cubs
Coming off a red-hot road trip, the Chicago Cubs will try to take the momentum home when they begin a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. The Cubs have won four straight and seven of their last eight to pull within two games of first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.
The Phillies briefly took over first place in the National League East on May 26, but they’ve since lost six of eight games. Philadelphia scored only one run in a three-game sweep at San Francisco over the weekend, and it came on pitcher Jake Arrieta’s home run in Sunday’s 6-1 defeat. Now the Phillies have to face a Cubs' pitching staff that has surrendered only 25 runs over its past 11 contests, including seven games with two or fewer runs allowed. Chicago outscored the New York Mets 21-6 in a four-game sweep over the weekend and leads the NL in run differential (plus-93).
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Zach Eflin (1-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 3.19)
Eflin was outstanding in his first two major-league starts of the season, allowing one run over 12 2/3 innings, but he has failed to get through five frames in his last three outings. The 24-year-old was tagged for five runs and seven hits in four innings in a loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday, and he surrendered two homers. Eflin faced the Cubs last season and allowed three runs over seven innings in a no-decision.
Hendricks has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 11 outings this season with seven quality starts. The 28-year-old didn’t have his best stuff last time out but managed to hold Pittsburgh to two runs over five innings in a 2-1 defeat. Hendricks is 3-1 with a 2.60 ERA in four starts against the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs are 25-1 when leading after six innings and 29-1 when leading after eight.
2. Philadelphia RHP Seranthony Dominguez has retired 40 of the 43 batters he has faced since making his major-league debut May 7, including 15 by strikeout.
3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo is batting .344 with 15 RBIs in his last 15 games with a plate appearance.