“Dempster, Moyer duel as Cubs, Phillies start four-gamer”
by "Reload" Joe Freda
The Philadelphia Phillies went into baseball’s All-Star Break winning four straight games, with the ‘under’ 3-1 among several one-run affairs. Charlie Manuel will be back in the dugout for his crew as it begins a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs following the skipper managing the National League All-Star squad to Tuesday’s 3-1 victory.
Thursday’s first matchup of the four-game set has Philadelphia’s Jamie Moyer (9-8, 4.51 ERA) starting on the hill against Chicago’s Ryan Dempster (7-7, 3.61 ERA). Sports books opened Dempster as a 130 home favorite, with the ‘total’ initially left off the board.
Moyer comes into Chicago losing two straight decisions by two runs each time out. The lefty’s start at Wrigley Field comes eight days after his 7-5 loss as a 104 home dog against the Atlanta Braves.
Moyer began his last appearance giving up a leadoff home run to Atlanta’s Martin Prado, followed by four innings of shut-out ball as Philadelphia took a 3-1 lead at the end of the fifth frame. However, the sixth inning saw Moyer get shelled with another long ball by Prado, along with a three-run double by Brian McCann that preceded a homer by Braves catcher Matt Diaz.
Moyer was then taken out after 5 1/3 innings (92 pitches), his shortest outing in five starts, after giving up a total of seven hits. Late relief from Danys Baez, Nelson Figueroa and Jose Contreras combined to allow three more hits, while the Phillies mustered two more runs.
The game’s combined 12 runs soared ‘over’ the ‘total’ of nine. Both squads united for 20 hits to make the ‘over’ 2-1 in Moyer’s last three starts.
Philadelphia is 5-5 in Moyer’s 10 road starts, with the ‘total’ also a split 5-5.
Moyer last pitched against the Cubs as a 131 home favorite nearly two months ago, with the Phillies being defeated, 4-1. The 47-year-old veteran went seven innings in a loss decision, surrendering two runs on four hits while striking out seven.
Dempster has had the same seven-day rest as Moyer, with the righty winning his last start as a 101 road dog against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Chicago defeated Arizona, 8-3, after three runs given up by Dempster in the fourth inning to tie the matchup, 3-3, were answered back by the Cubs.
Dempster allowed eight hits over five innings (98 pitches), with it being the first of his last four starts to not have given up a home run. The combined 11 runs leaped north of the nine-run ‘total,’ extending the two-time All-Star’s ‘over’ streak to 3-0.
Chicago is 3-5 in Dempster’s eight home starts, with the ‘under’ 4-3-1. Run support has not been apparent in that span, with the Cubs scoring 3.2 RPG while allowing 4.8 RPG.
Dempster logged a no-decision in his only start against the Phillies. The British Colombia native allowed four runs on five hits during his six-inning stay. A late run given up by Cubs reliever John Grabow gave Philadelphia a 5-4 win as 139 home ‘chalk.’
Phillies cleanup man Ryan Howard enters Thursday’s battle with 65 RBIs, tied atop the NL with Milwaukee’s Corey Hart and the New York Mets’ David Wright. Howard went into the All-Star break with a 0-for-6 stretch in his last two games, but had three RBIs preceding that slump in Friday’s 9-7 win for Philly as a 113 home favorite over the Cincinnati Reds.
Chicago center fielder Marlon Byrd is presently the National League’s fourth-best hitter (.317). The 2010 All-Star is 10-for-19 (.526) in his last five games.
The Phillies most recently visited Wrigley Field last August, sweeping the Cubs, 3-0, with the ‘under’ 2-1. Philadelphia out-scored Chicago in the series, 22-9.
Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. (ET), with the weather forecast calling for an 88-degree night with a 30-percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds are expected to be cruising at 10mph, breezing outward to center field.
Friday afternoon’s rematch between the rivals has Philadelphia’s Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.41 ERA) slated to oppose Chicago’s Ted Lilly (3-8, 4.08 ERA).
by "Reload" Joe Freda
The Philadelphia Phillies went into baseball’s All-Star Break winning four straight games, with the ‘under’ 3-1 among several one-run affairs. Charlie Manuel will be back in the dugout for his crew as it begins a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs following the skipper managing the National League All-Star squad to Tuesday’s 3-1 victory.
Thursday’s first matchup of the four-game set has Philadelphia’s Jamie Moyer (9-8, 4.51 ERA) starting on the hill against Chicago’s Ryan Dempster (7-7, 3.61 ERA). Sports books opened Dempster as a 130 home favorite, with the ‘total’ initially left off the board.
Moyer comes into Chicago losing two straight decisions by two runs each time out. The lefty’s start at Wrigley Field comes eight days after his 7-5 loss as a 104 home dog against the Atlanta Braves.
Moyer began his last appearance giving up a leadoff home run to Atlanta’s Martin Prado, followed by four innings of shut-out ball as Philadelphia took a 3-1 lead at the end of the fifth frame. However, the sixth inning saw Moyer get shelled with another long ball by Prado, along with a three-run double by Brian McCann that preceded a homer by Braves catcher Matt Diaz.
Moyer was then taken out after 5 1/3 innings (92 pitches), his shortest outing in five starts, after giving up a total of seven hits. Late relief from Danys Baez, Nelson Figueroa and Jose Contreras combined to allow three more hits, while the Phillies mustered two more runs.
The game’s combined 12 runs soared ‘over’ the ‘total’ of nine. Both squads united for 20 hits to make the ‘over’ 2-1 in Moyer’s last three starts.
Philadelphia is 5-5 in Moyer’s 10 road starts, with the ‘total’ also a split 5-5.
Moyer last pitched against the Cubs as a 131 home favorite nearly two months ago, with the Phillies being defeated, 4-1. The 47-year-old veteran went seven innings in a loss decision, surrendering two runs on four hits while striking out seven.
Dempster has had the same seven-day rest as Moyer, with the righty winning his last start as a 101 road dog against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Chicago defeated Arizona, 8-3, after three runs given up by Dempster in the fourth inning to tie the matchup, 3-3, were answered back by the Cubs.
Dempster allowed eight hits over five innings (98 pitches), with it being the first of his last four starts to not have given up a home run. The combined 11 runs leaped north of the nine-run ‘total,’ extending the two-time All-Star’s ‘over’ streak to 3-0.
Chicago is 3-5 in Dempster’s eight home starts, with the ‘under’ 4-3-1. Run support has not been apparent in that span, with the Cubs scoring 3.2 RPG while allowing 4.8 RPG.
Dempster logged a no-decision in his only start against the Phillies. The British Colombia native allowed four runs on five hits during his six-inning stay. A late run given up by Cubs reliever John Grabow gave Philadelphia a 5-4 win as 139 home ‘chalk.’
Phillies cleanup man Ryan Howard enters Thursday’s battle with 65 RBIs, tied atop the NL with Milwaukee’s Corey Hart and the New York Mets’ David Wright. Howard went into the All-Star break with a 0-for-6 stretch in his last two games, but had three RBIs preceding that slump in Friday’s 9-7 win for Philly as a 113 home favorite over the Cincinnati Reds.
Chicago center fielder Marlon Byrd is presently the National League’s fourth-best hitter (.317). The 2010 All-Star is 10-for-19 (.526) in his last five games.
The Phillies most recently visited Wrigley Field last August, sweeping the Cubs, 3-0, with the ‘under’ 2-1. Philadelphia out-scored Chicago in the series, 22-9.
Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. (ET), with the weather forecast calling for an 88-degree night with a 30-percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds are expected to be cruising at 10mph, breezing outward to center field.
Friday afternoon’s rematch between the rivals has Philadelphia’s Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.41 ERA) slated to oppose Chicago’s Ted Lilly (3-8, 4.08 ERA).