Preview: Phillies at Cubs

[July 24, 2015]  Chicago Cubs fans had this stretch of the schedule circled as an opportunity for their team to make a charge, but it hasn’t happened yet. The Cubs have gone 4-3 since the All-Star break — all against teams below .500 — but hope to take advantage of a visit from the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series starting Friday.

Chicago salvaged a split of a doubleheader and a four-game series at Cincinnati by rallying from a 5-0 deficit for a 6-5 win Wednesday night and had a much-needed day off Thursday to rest an overtaxed bullpen. The Phillies (34-63) have the worst record in baseball but have hardly looked like it since the break, winning five of six games and losing the other by one run. Cubs ace Jon Lester aims to cool off the Phillies, against whom he is 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA in five career meetings. The eight position players on Philadelphia’s active roster who have faced Lester are a combined 10-for-61 with 18 strikeouts against him with the three who have seen him the most — Jeff Francoeur (1-for-15), Carlos Ruiz (0-for-11) and Ryan Howard (2-for-11) — struggling mightily.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jerome Williams (3-7, 6.43 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (5-8, 3.37)

Williams is making his first start since June 16, when a strained left hamstring sent him to the disabled list. The 33-year-old was winless in his last six starts before the injury and was tagged for six runs in two-thirds of an inning in his most recent big-league outing. The journeyman has pitched against the Cubs only once, facing one batter in a relief stint in 2013.

A combination of poor performance and tough luck brought up concerns about Lester early in the season, but he has not allowed an earned run in three of his last four outings. The 31-year-old allowed only two hits over 7 1/3 scoreless frames to win at Atlanta on Saturday and has recorded at least seven strikeouts in four straight starts. Lester has struggled to a 3-6 mark over 11 starts at home despite a 3.46 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs C Kyle Schwarber is 10-for-22 with two doubles, two homers and five RBIs in seven games since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa.

2. Phillies 3B Maikel Franco (elbow) has not started the past two games but is expected to return to the lineup Friday.

3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo is 5-for-29 with one extra-base hit in seven games since the All-Star break.

PREDICTION: Cubs 6, Phillies 1

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