Series Preview: Phillies at Cubs, May 16-17

The Phillies (18-19) are set to hit the road for the 2 games that break up a stretch in which they play 14 of 16 games at home, as they head to Chicago to face the Cubs (15-21).

For the second time this season, righty Kyle Kendrick will fill in for an injured member of the Phils' starting rotation and face Cubs hurler Matt Garza. Last time, Kendrick pitched in place of Cliff Lee, while he takes Vance Worley's turn this time around. Worley is slated to miss a start, as he deals with soreness in his throwing arm.

The switch could be a break for Chicago, as Worley has been a strong contributor (3-1, 2.81 ERA in his last 5 games) for the Phillies while Kendrick has struggled greatly this year.

Last season, the Phillies won 2 of 3 meetings with the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Read ahead for more information on the pitching match ups for this series and well as many more statistical nuggets.

Wednesday, 8:05 PM. Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 7.32 ERA) vs. Matt Garza (2-1, 2.56 ERA). Kendrick is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 3 career games against the Cubs. Kendrick has thrown just 1 inning, a scoreless frame, at Wrigley Field in his career. In 4 career starts against Philadelphia, Garza has a 2-1 record with a 0.96 ERA and a .135 batting average against. Garza is 1-0 with a 1.66 ERA in 3 home starts this season. Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco and Jimmy Rollins are a combined 5-for-29 (.128 avg) in their careers against Garza in regular season action.

Thursday, 8:05 PM. Roy Halladay (3-3, 3.20 ERA) vs. Chris Volstad (0-5, 6.92 ERA). Halladay has a 2-1 record with a 3.75 ERA in 4 road starts this season. In 6 career starts against the Cubs, Halladay is 1-5 with a 3.75 ERA. The Phillies have lost each of Halladay’s last 5 starts. In 13 career starts against the Phillies, the righty Volstad has a 2-5 record with a 5.89 ERA. Volstad is a former 1st round draft selection (2005) of the Marlins. Volstad has a 0-4 record with a 6.07 ERA in 8 career starts at Wrigley Field.

Former Cub Mike Fontenot has a .273 average with 9 HR and 58 RBI in 210 career games at Wrigley Field. The lefty batting Fontenot is 1-for-3 against Garza and is 5-for-16 (.313 avg) with 2 doubles and a HR in his career against Volstad.

Carlos Ruiz is batting .352 with 3 HR and 13 RBI in 16 road games this season. Ruiz is a .205 in 15 career games at Wrigley Field.

In 19 road games this year, Freddy Galvis has posted a .164 batting average. Galvis' 15 RBI rank 3rd best on the Phillies.

Bryan LaHair, Chicago’s HR leader with 10, is 7-for-15 (.467 avg) in his career against Philadelphia. In 18 home games this season, LaHair is batting .373 with 4 homers and 8 RBI.

Alfonso Soriano is a .252 career hitter in 54 games against the Phillies. Soriano, who has hit 20 or more homeruns for each of the past ten seasons, hit his first homerun of the season against St. Louis on Tuesday.

Former Phillies prospect Adrian Cardenas made his Major League debut with the Cubs last week and, since then, he has gone 1-for-10 (.100 average). Cardenas was dealt away in the 2008 Joe Blanton trade.

In 14 home games this season, Cubs catcher Geovany Soto has posted a .125 average.

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