A pair of National League teams continue their first post All-Star break series on the diamond in the City of Brotherly Love. The Chicago Cubs are on the road as they play the middle game of a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday evening. Chicago salvaged the finale of a four-game set at home with the Mets as they earned a 3-2 win Sunday in their final game before the All-Star break. Philadelphia swept the Marlins on the road in their final series before the All-Star break, winning 4-0 Sunday in the series finale. This article was published prior to the conclusion of the series opening contest Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Chicago snapped a nine-game losing skid as they picked up the win in the finale of their four-game set with the Mets at home Sunday. The Cubs entered Friday night fourth in the NL Central, 14.5 games behind the Brewers for the top spot in the division race. On Sunday, Chicago got three of their seven hits from Nico Hoerner (RBI), including the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ian Happ and Patrick Wisdom each drove in runs as well for the Cubs in the contest. Adrian Sampson didn’t factor in the decision as he allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout over 5.1 innings of work. Rowan Wick (2-5) earned the win with a scoreless eighth despite allowing two hits while David Robertson worked around a hit in the ninth to record his 13th save of the year.
Marcus Stroman is on the mound as he makes his 12th start of the season for th e Cubs in the middle game of this set. He comes in 2-5 with a 4.69 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, 15 walks and 54 strikeouts over 55.2 innings of work on the year. Stroman didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came in the first game of a doubleheader at home against the Mets last Saturday. He threw 4.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts in a game the Cubs eventually dropped 2-1 in 11 innings. In his last three starts, Stroman is 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, four walks and 16 strikeouts over 12.1 innings of work. Stroman makes his 11th career appearance and ninth start against the Phillies in this contest. He is 4-4 with a 2.62 ERA, a 1.209 WHIP, 10 walks and 42 strikeouts over 44.2 innings of work. Stroman is 2-2 with a 1.93 ERA, a 1.071 WHIP, six walks and 23 strikeouts over 23.1 innings in five career appearances, four starts, at Citizens Bank Park.