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Lester, Cubs kick off series against Phillies
By: Staff Writer - StatFox
Published: 6/6/2016  at  12:28:00 PM
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By Brad Kallet

CHICAGO CUBS (39-16)

at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (28-29)

First pitch: Monday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Chicago -260, Philadelphia +220, Total: 8.0

Jon Lester and the league-best Cubs kick off a three-game series against Adam Morgan and the Phillies in a battle of lefties at Citizens Bank Park.

The Cubs (39-16) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with a 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks. Still, the best team in baseball holds a comfortable 9 ˝-game lead over the second-place Pirates in the National League Central. LHP Jon Lester (6-3, 2.29 ERA, 69 SO, 17 BB, 7 HR in 70 2/3 IP) will take the hill for Chicago as it begins a nine-game road trip in Philadelphia. Lester is coming off the best start of his season, a complete-game masterpiece against the Dodgers in which he allowed one run on four hits and recorded 10 strikeouts to no walks. On the mound for the fourth-place Phillies (28-29) will be LHP Adam Morgan (1-4, 7.07 ERA, 24 SO, 10 BB, 7 HR in 35 2/3 IP). Morgan has really struggled of late, allowing 21 earned runs in his last 19 2/3 innings of work. The Phillies had lost seven in a row before finally beating the Brewers on Friday, and then again on Sunday. The Cubs hosted the Phillies at Wrigley Field from May 27-29 and swept them, outscoring Philadelphia 17-5. Chicago has played great on the road this season, posting a 17-8 mark. The Phillies have gone 15-14 in their home park.

Joe Maddon’s squad just keeps on rolling. The Cubs are second in the National League in runs (297) and first in ERA (2.57), a lethal combination. Dominant pitching and an imposing lineup have the Cubs playing .709 ball. Chicago’s best hitter in 2016 has been 2B Ben Zobrist (.326, 7 HR, 35 RBI, .438 OBP), who has shined in his first season with the club. CF Dexter Fowler (.303, 7 HR, 25 RBI, .421 OBP) has been a consistent spark out of the leadoff spot and 3B Kris Bryant (.274, 13 HR, 40 RBI, .358 OBP) and 1B Anthony Rizzo (.251, 13 HR, 40 RBI, .390 OBP) lead the club with 13 dingers. Bryant, backup C David Ross (.238, 4 HR, 17 RBI, .340 OBP) and LF Jorge Soler (.211, 5 HR, 13 RBI, .313 OBP) have all homered off Morgan, and the Cubs’ roster as a whole has gone 15-for-36 (.417) against him. The 26-year-old faced the Cubs on May 27 and was lit up for six earned runs on eight hits in just four innings. Lester has dominated the Phillies in his career, going 5-0 with a 1.71 ERA.

The Phillies have had problems scoring runs all season. They’re second-to-last in the National League in runs (184), tied for 13th in homers (48), 13th in average (.233) and last in on-base percentage (.289). The brightest spot in Pete Mackanin’s lineup has been CF Odubel Herrera (.317, 5 HR, 17 RBI, .426 OBP, 7 SB). 3B Maikel Franco (.250, 10 HR, 31 RBI, .299 OBP) leads the club in homers, while 1B Ryan Howard (.151, 8 HR, 19 RBI, .211 OBP)—once one of the most feared sluggers in baseball—has been relegated to the bench in favor of 1B Tommy Joseph (.298, 4 HR, 7 RBI, .300 OBP). The Phils haven’t had much success against Lester. Howard is 2-for-11 against him with six strikeouts and backup C Carlos Ruiz (.226, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .301 OBP) is 0-for-14 with four strikeouts. SS Freddy Galvis has gone 3-for-11 with a homer against the three-time All-Star and backup OF Peter Bourjos is 5-for-13 against Lester with a double. Lester beat the Phillies on May 27, allowing one earned run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.


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