The Phillies are playing host to the Cubs this weekend, for three games at Citizens Bank Park. If you can believe it, the Cubs have just 14 more games on the road after this series.
Tonight’s Cubs’ starter will be Jose Quintana, and he’s coming off back-to-back low-scoring affairs against the Reds and Blue Jays (Combined: 11.0 IP, 3ER, 6BB, 12K). Indeed after a six-earned-run blowup against Arizona, he’s actually posted really solid numbers over his past three starts: 3.18 ERA, 3.72 FIP. He can stand to strikeout a few more and walk a few less, but hey, who couldn’t?
Opposing Quintana and the Cubs is Phillies righty Jerad Eickhoff. Eickhoff has had a mediocre season overall, but he’s been slightly better in the second half: 4.12 ERA, 4.55 FIP. His latest start wasn’t much to write home about, as he tossed just 4.2 innings of four-run ball against the Giants in San Francisco. He’s been walking quite a few batters here lately, so perhaps patiences will be the Cubs answer today.
Let’s see if the Cubs can position themselves for yet another series victory.
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (68-58) at Philadelphia Phillies (46-80) – 6:05 CT on WGN, 670 The Score
Game Thread and Series Preview
Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun today.
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: Jose Quintana (L): 4.27 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 3.98 xFIP; 2.92 K/BB
versus
Phillies: Jerad Eickhoff (R): 4.46 ERA, 4.17 FIP, 4.84 xFIP; 2.22 K/BB
Philadelphia Phillies:
- Cesar Hernandez, 2B
- Freddy Galvis, SS
- Nick Williams, RF
- Rhys Hoskins, LF
- Tommy Joseph, 1B
- Maikel Franco, 3B
- Pedro Forimon, CF
- Jorge Alfaro, C
- Jerad Eickhoff, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Ben Zobrist, 2B
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Ian Happ, CF
- Alex Avila, C
- Jason Heyward, RF
- El Mago, SS
- Jose Quintana, P