Philadelphia (73-60) at Chi Cubs (83-50)

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phi

Phils-Cubs set could be playoff preview

Kevin Horan / MLB.com
Forget the fact that last year the Phillies became the first pro franchise to lose 10,000 games. Forget the fact that the Cubs haven't won a World Series in 100 years. Those milestones will mean nothing when these two teams convene on Thursday to begin a four-game series. Both squads are focused on one thing -- defending their respective division titles.
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Phillies probable pitcher

Cole Hamels

  • #35 LHP
  • (11-8) 3.20 ERA 162 SO
Phillies: Hamels enjoyed Saturday's offensive outburst after receiving an average of two runs of support during his previous four starts. The Phils' ace went seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits to earn the victory. Hamels is now in a three-way tie with Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick for the team lead in victories, with 11. In four career starts against the Cubs, Hamels is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 35-21 3.50 504.1 134 484 .231
Season 11-8 3.20 188.2 43 162 .220
August 2-2 2.88 34.1 4 27 .241
Vs. Chi Cubs 1-0 0.00 7.0 2 5 .048

Series at a Glance

Standings - 08/28/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Philadelphia Phillies (NL East) 73 60 .549 0.5 39-29 34-31
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 83 50 .624 - 49-19 34-31
Stats - 08/28/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
PHI .254 645 178 618 107 928 3.86 1194.2 1190 448 868
CHC .282 729 154 692 79 962 3.75 1198.1 1093 434 1043
chc

Back home, Cubs face fellow contender

Todd Krise / MLB.com
This weekend's Cubs-Phillies series has playoff implications written all over it. Both teams are in the thick of the National League pennant race and lead their respective divisions. "Our schedule gets tough," manager Lou Piniella said. "We've got a lot of work to do."
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Cubs probable pitcher

Ryan Dempster

  • #46 RHP
  • (15-5) 2.85 ERA 153 SO
Cubs: Dempster will be going for a personal-best 16th win in his next start. He picked up No. 15 in his last start, against the Nationals, giving up one run on eight hits over 7 1/3 innings. He now has 18 quality starts. He will face the Phillies for the first time this year. The right-hander also has been productive at the plate and leads the Majors with 16 sacrifice bunts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 74-80 4.58 1389.0 696 1160 .260
Season 15-5 2.85 170.2 65 153 .213
August 3-1 2.52 25.0 7 27 .247

Phillies hitters vs Ryan Dempster

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Berry, Quintin - - - - - - - -
Dobbs, Greg - - - - .000 1 0 0
Francisco, Ben - - - - - - - -
Howard, Ryan - - - - .200 5 0 1
Ibanez, Raul - - - - .000 1 0 0
Mayberry, John - - - - - - - -
Rollins, Jimmy - - - - .333 12 0 3
Ruiz, Carlos - - - - .333 3 0 1
Utley, Chase - - - - .667 6 0 1
Victorino, Shane - - - - .250 4 0 1
Werth, Jayson - - - - .500 4 0 0

Cubs hitters vs Cole Hamels

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton .333 3 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike .000 1 0 0 .000 2 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .333 3 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek .500 2 0 0 .273 11 0 0
Miles, Aaron .333 3 0 0 .286 7 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis .000 3 0 0 .286 14 1 3
Soriano, Alfonso .000 3 0 0 .192 26 3 4
Soto, Geovany .000 3 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Theriot, Ryan .000 1 0 0 .357 14 1 1

Comeback Cubs club Phillies (73-61) (84-50)

Cubs 6, Phillies 4

Bullpen stumbles

Ken Mandel / MLB.com
Cole Hamels tossed seven impressive innings of one-run ball and left with a three-run lead, but the 'pen gave up five runs in the eighth, and the Phillies couldn't recover. With the loss, the Phils fell one game behind the Mets in the NL East.

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Series at a Glance

 

Ramirez rips slam

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Trailing by three entering the eighth, the Cubs stormed back with five runs, highlighted by Aramis Ramirez's clutch go-ahead grand slam. Mike Fontenot also went deep in the eighth as the Cubs notched their sixth straight victory.
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Cubs 6, Phillies 4

PhiladelphiaABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Rollins, SS4011010.268
Utley, 2B5131001.290
Burrell, LF5000015.258
Howard, 1B4010111.228
Victorino, CF4011012.286
Werth, RF3120110.275
Feliz, 3B3100124.256
Ruiz, C3111100.222
Hamels, P2000022.258
  a-Dobbs, PH1000000.298
  Madson, P0000000.000
  Durbin, C, P0000000.125
  Romero, P0000000.000
Totals344944915 

a-Grounded out for Hamels in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Utley (35, Dempster), Werth 2 (12, Dempster, Dempster), Howard (18, Dempster).
TB: Rollins; Utley 4; Howard 2; Victorino; Werth 4; Ruiz.
RBI: Victorino (49), Ruiz (23), Rollins (48), Utley (87).
2-out RBI: Victorino; Utley.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Feliz 2; Hamels; Victorino 2.
S: Hamels.
SF: Rollins.
GIDP: Burrell.
Team LOB: 9.
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF4110011.293
Theriot, SS4110000.313
Lee, 1B3120100.294
Ramirez, A, 3B4114002.283
Soto, C4010021.285
Johnson, R, CF4010021.312
Fukudome, RF3110101.266
DeRosa, 2B4011012.291
Dempster, P2000011.151
  Marshall, P0000000.375
  Howry, P0000000.000
  a-Fontenot, PH1111000.295
  Wood, P0000000.000
Totals336106279 

a-Homered for Howry in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Soriano (24, Madson).
3B: DeRosa (3, Hamels).
HR: Fontenot (9, 8th inning off Madson, 0 on, 0 out), Ramirez, A (24, 8th inning off Durbin, C, 3 on, 0 out).
TB: Soriano 2; Theriot; Lee 2; Ramirez, A 4; Soto; Johnson, R; Fukudome; DeRosa 3; Fontenot 4.
RBI: DeRosa (79), Fontenot (33), Ramirez, A 4 (99).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Soriano.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
CS: Johnson, R (6, 3rd base by Romero/Ruiz).

FIELDING
E: DeRosa (10, fielding).
DP: (DeRosa-Lee).
 
PhiladelphiaIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Hamels 7.05110603.13
Madson 0.03330013.56
Durbin, C (BS, 5)(L, 5-3)0.12221012.19
Romero 0.20001102.26
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Dempster 6.08444702.95
Marshall 1.00000103.52
Howry (W, 6-4)1.00000105.31
Wood (S, 28)1.01000002.59

Madson pitched to 3 batters in the 8th.

Pitches-strikes: Hamels 108-73, Madson 7-4, Durbin, C 11-6, Romero 11-4, Dempster 114-67, Marshall 15-9, Howry 10-9, Wood 18-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: Hamels 5-10, Madson 0-0, Durbin, C 0-1, Romero 0-0, Dempster 5-6, Marshall 0-2, Howry 2-0, Wood 0-3.
Batters faced: Hamels 26, Madson 3, Durbin, C 4, Romero 2, Dempster 30, Marshall 3, Howry 3, Wood 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Durbin, C 2-2, Romero 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Chuck Meriwether. 1B: Bill Welke. 2B: Chris Guccione. 3B: Tim Welke.
Weather: 78 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 4 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:53.
Att: 40,362.
August 28, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner