Chicago @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2015 ) Chi. Cubs 0, Philadelphia 0
The Chicago Cubs hope to gain ground in the National League playoff race with two cracks at the worst team in the majors Friday. The Cubs will begin their four-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies with a doubleheader after the scheduled series opener was rained out Thursday.
Chicago is virtually a lock for the playoffs with a nine-game lead for the second wild card, but the Cubs still hope to chase down Pittsburgh (2 1/2 games) and perhaps St. Louis (seven games back) to improve their postseason draw. The youthful Cubs have been one of the hottest teams in the league of late, going 33-18 since the All-Star break including a 28-11 mark since July 29. Changes are coming to Philadelphia’s front office, as the club announced Thursday it will not extend the contract of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. The move is no surprise given the Phillies own the worst record in the majors, but they swept a three-game series from the Cubs in the first meeting this season.
TV: 8:35 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 4.08 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Alec Asher (0-2, 10.61)
Hendricks is winless in his last five starts and has posted a 5.92 ERA over that stretch, but he is coming off a strong – if brief – outing against Arizona. The 25-year-old limited the Diamondbacks to one run and three hits over five innings but was lifted after 75 pitches and didn’t factor in the decision. Hendricks has never faced the Phillies.
Asher was one of the key pieces in the deal that sent Cole Hamels to Texas, but his first two big-league starts haven’t gone well. The 23-year-old gave up a pair of homers in his debut against San Diego and was hammered for seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings in a loss at Boston on Saturday. Some of Asher’s struggles can be attributed to bad luck, as opponents have a healthy .389 batting average on balls in play against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cubs have homered in each of their last eight games at Citizens Bank Park dating to 2012.
2. Phillies 1B Ryan Howard is hitless in his last 28 at-bats.
3. Chicago has recorded at least one extra-base hit in 42 consecutive contests – its longest such streak since a 52-game run in 2011.
PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Phillies 4