Cubs @ Phillies: Quintana vs. Vargas (Game 119)
CHC (64-54): LHP Jose Quintana (10-7, 4.23 ERA)
PHI (60-58): LHP Jason Vargas (6-6, 4.09 ERA)
First pitch 6:05pmCDT
The Cubs go to Philly with the Cardinals 2 back and the Brewers trailing by 2.5. It's long past time for this team to put their road struggles behind them if they are going to be taken serious as contenders this year. Quintana is a good candidate to help them get started. He's walked fewer and given up fewer homeruns on the road, and he's pitched 17.2 more innings on the road this season than he has at Wrigley. He was great last time out, allowing one earned run and striking out seven Athletics in seven innings pitched. Happ, Bryant, and Caratini backed him with homeruns in that Cubs win to clinch the series against Oakland. He had a no decision against the Phils on May 21, having allowed two unearned runs in six innings of work. Corey Dickers is 6-14 off of him with a homerun. Joey Bats is 2-26 with 11 strikeouts.Vargas was sent to the Phils from the Mets on July 29, after the Mets added Stroman to their rotation. The veteran lefty is 0-1 in two starts since the trade, allowing 6 earned runs in 11.1 innings pitched on nine hits and four walks. He faced the Cubs and got a no decision on June 21, allowing four runs, two earned, in 4.1 Most of the younger Cubs haven't seen much of Vargas. Rizzo is 1-11 with four strikeouts. Nick Castellanos is 5-22 with two homeruns. (Ben Zobrist has hit .406 off of him in his career, 32 at bats.)
Comments