Phillies/Cubs FoxSheet Game Preview

• 83% of the betting public favors the Cubs to win, 98% is on the over.
• Play ON All teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (PHILADELPHIA) - below average hitting team (AVG <=.255) against a decent starting pitcher (ERA=3.70 to 4.20) -NL, with a starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.00 or better on the season (NL). (138-76 since 1997.) (64.5%, +61.6 units. Rating = 3*)
• PHILADELPHIA is 27-43 (-18.5 Units) against the money line vs. a starting pitcher with good control (less than 1.75 BB's/start) over the last 2 seasons.
• CHICAGO CUBS are 33-15 UNDER (+16.8 Units) in home games vs. a team with a good bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 or better over the last 2 seasons.
• PHILADELPHIA is 50-90 (-29.2 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 to +150 over the last 3 seasons.

The Chicago Cubs are finding there isn't much room for error lately.

They will face the visiting Philadelphia Phillies in the second game of a four-game series on Tuesday night, and the Cubs will try to get on the winning side after dropping the series opener 5-4 in 10 innings on Monday, their fourth loss in six games.

Chicago was one out from victory when the Phillies tied the score on a bloop single that sailed just out of reach of first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Philadelphia then scored the go-ahead run in the 10th on a solo homer by J.T. Realmuto that barely cleared the left field fence.

Cubs starter Jose Quintana (4-3, 3.68 ERA) will try to even the series while also attempting to end a personal two-game skid.

Quintana has been hit by some hard luck recently as well. He threw two consecutive wild pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in a steady rain in his last start, the second allowing the Reds to tie the score before they eventually won 4-2.

"We've got to be able to overcome those mistakes," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

Quintana's numbers have been decent the past two outings. He allowed three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 10, and three runs and six hits in five innings against the Reds on Thursday, but the Cubs combined for two runs of support in those starts.

Quintana has faced the Phillies four times in his career and is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA

The Phillies have won four straight to move a season-high nine games over .500.

Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez is 8-for-16 in his past four games to raise his batting average to .310.

Philadelphia right fielder Bryce Harper went 0-for-4 on Monday night to end his season-long five-game hitting streak, but he lined out to deep right in the first inning on ball that registered an exit velocity of 115.5 mph, the highest he's had this season, according to Statcast.

Phillies starter Zach Eflin (5-4, 2.89 ERA) had three straight exceptional starts before running into a speed bump in his last outing.

Eflin allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings of an 11-3 loss to the Brewers on Thursday. In the three previous starts, he had allowed just two earned runs over 25 innings (0.72 ERA) and won all three.

"Just have to be better," Eflin said after his last start. "I've got to show up better prepared to execute the game plan. Didn't really do a good job of that (Thursday). These next four days leading up to my next start, I'm going to work hard, study and get back on the right track."

That run was similar to the stretch he put together from June 5 to July 3, went he became the first Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee in 2011 to record six consecutive wins.

Eflin didn't allow more than two earned runs in any of the outings. The first win in that streak came against the Cubs, when he held them to one run and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings of the 6-1 win in Chicago.

He has made three starts overall against the Cubs in his career and is 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA.

Chicago third baseman Kris Bryant is 6-for-10 off Eflin in his career.

--Field Level Media