Philadelphia @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2013 ) Chi. Cubs 1, Philadelphia 12

Roy Halladay makes his second start since returning from the disabled list Friday afternoon, when he leads the visiting Philadelphia Phillies into the first of three games against the Chicago Cubs. Halladay allowed two runs and four hits in six innings against Arizona on Sunday to get the win in his first outing in nearly four months. The veteran right-hander had been sidelined following shoulder surgery, watching helplessly as the Phillies slowly fell out of the playoff race.

Philadelphia actually had been playing better before suffering an 11-3 road loss to the New York Mets on Thursday. Domonic Brown returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Saturday, but four Phillies pitchers were pounded in the club's worst loss this month. The Cubs have undergone a late-season swoon of even larger proportions, dropping 22-of-30 games following a 2-6 road trip.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Roy Halladay (3-4, 7.81 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jeff Samardzija (8-11, 4.03)

Halladay's return to the mound came a bit faster than he had anticipated, as an 18-inning game the previous night necessitated a fresh arm for the Phillies and his third minor-league rehab outing was turned into a start against the Diamondbacks. Halladay received word of the change while resting in a hotel room in Reading, Pa. His first road start since April 30 comes at one of the few places he has struggled, as the 36-year-old is 1-3 lifetime with a 4.68 ERA at Wrigley Field.

Samardzija has experienced an inconsistent month, giving up a season high-tying nine runs in only 3 1/3 innings at Philadelphia on Aug. 8 and rebounding to go 2-0 with a 2.74 ERA in three starts since. He has yielded just 13 hits and two walks in 17 frames over his last two outings. In large part due to that rocky performance versus the Phillies just over three weeks ago, the Notre Dame product owns a 12.83 ERA in eight career games (two starts) against Philadelphia.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia is 8-6 thus far during a stretch that sees the club play 20 games in 20 days.

2. Chicago SS Starlin Castro is 7-for-14 with a home run against Halladay.

3. The Phillies are 3-15 over their last 18 road games. The Cubs are 3-18 over their last 20 home contests.

PREDICTION: Phillies 5, Cubs 4