Chicago @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 6, 2014 ) Philadelphia 3, Chi. Cubs 8
The Philadelphia Phillies hope to continue beating up on struggling teams when they welcome the visiting Chicago Cubs for a three-game series starting Friday. The Phillies are aiming for their season-best fourth straight win after finishing a three-game sweep of visiting San Diego with a 7-3 victory Thursday. The Cubs won a season-high five straight games earlier this month but have come back to reality with four losses in their last five contests.
Chicago's regression coincided with the start of a 10-game road trip -- the Cubs are 11-24 on the road and have yet to win a series away from home. The offense sputtered in a 4-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday and more tough times may be ahead, as leadoff man Emilio Bonifacio was headed back to Chicago to be examined after injuring his rib cage on a swing in the first inning of that game. The Phillies took two of three when the teams met April 4-6 in Chicago and has not lost the season series to the Cubs since 2010.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), CSN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (1-1, 2.50 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Roberto Hernandez (2-4, 4.35)
Arrieta is coming off his best outing of the season, even though he didn't get a win Sunday against Miami. He matched his season high with seven strikeouts and limited the Marlins to three hits over six scoreless innings without issuing a walk. The 28-year-old has split two starts against the Phillies, getting hammered for nine runs in four innings during a 9-6 loss in 2012 but bouncing back with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a victory last season.
Hernandez has struggled since reentering the rotation, going 0-3 with a 5.06 ERA in his last four starts. He lasted only four innings his last time out, allowing four runs on four hits in a loss at Cincinnati. The 33-year-old made his first career start against the Cubs earlier this season, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings to pick up a victory April 4 in Chicago.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has 2,233 career hits, one shy of Mike Schmidt's franchise record.
2. The Cubs are 0-33 and the Phillies are 1-29 when trailing after eight innings.
3. Cubs OF Ryan Sweeney is expected to be activated from the disabled list and rejoin the team Friday.
PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Phillies 4