Series Preview: Cubs @ Phils, July 20-22

The Chicago Cubs (47-43) make their only trip of the season to Philadelphia (51-38) starting tonight. The three game series will pit the World Champs against the team many people thought should have been the World Champs.

Below is a look at the pitching match ups for the series and other game notes.

Monday, 7:05pm. Ted Lilly (9-6, 3.18 ERA) vs. Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 3.18 ERA). Lilly has a 2.11 ERA over his last 3 starts. In 4 career starts against the Phillies, Lilly is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA. On the road this season, Lilly is 3-5 with a 4.66 ERA in 9 starts. Pedro Feliz against Lilly is 4-for-13 with 2 homers and 7 RBI. RoLo will be making his third start of the season for our Phillies. In 4 2/3 innings (1 start) in his career against the Cubbies (a June 2007 start), RoLo gave up 8 earned runs (15.43 ERA). Alfonso Soriano is a career .343 hitter (12-for-35) against RoLo with 3 homers and 5 RBI.

Tuesday, 7:05pm. Rich Harden (6-6, 5.06 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (6-4, 4.44 ERA). The former teammates with the A's face off for the first time. In 2 career starts against the Phils, Harden is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA and 16 K's in 13 innings pitched. On the road this season, Harden is 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 6 games. Chase Utley, Pedro Feliz, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz, Jayson Werth, Paul Bako and Greg Dobbs are a combined 1-for-33 (.030 avg) against Harden. In his last 11 starts, Blanton is 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA. Blanton's ERA in his last 4 home starts is 2.33. Reed Johnson is 5-for-10 in his career against Blanton with a homer and a walk.

Wednesday, 1:05pm. Carlos Zambrano (6-4, 3.36 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (9-6, 5.58 ERA). Zambrano has only faced the Phillies once in the past two seasons. In that one start, last season, Zambrano got the loss when he allowed 5 earned runs over 6 innings pitched. In 7 career starts against the Phillies, Zambrano is 3-3 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Moyer has won 5 straight starts and has a 3.68 ERA in those games. Moyer is 4-4 at home this year with a 6.79 ERA. Aramis Ramirez is 0-for-10 in his career against Moyer.

Alfonso Soriano is a .296 career hitter at Citizens Bank Park with 3 doubles, 5 homers and 8 RBI in 16 games.

The Phillies have not lost a home series to the Cubs since April 2001.

Jimmy Rollins has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games. In that span, Rollins is batting .397 with 13 runs scored.

The Phillies had lost 10 of their previous 11 games prior to their current stretch of winning 12 of the last 13 games.

Cubs team batting average- .250
Phillies team batting average- .261

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