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Preview: Cubs (17-24) at Phillies (20-22)
BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Game: 4
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: April 30, 2012 7:05 PM EDT
  

The Philadelphia Phillies are known for their vaunted pitching staff, but it's been the Chicago Cubs' starters who have shut down the Phillies' stagnant offense in two of this series' first three games.

Struggling Chris Volstad looks to continue the trend in Monday night's finale at Citizens Bank Park.

Matt Garza allowed a single to leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins on Sunday, then didn't give up another hit through seven innings of Chicago's 5-1 victory. The performance came two days after Paul Maholm outpitched Roy Halladay in another 5-1 Cubs win.

Chicago's starters entered the series 4-8 with a 4.34 ERA, but they're 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA through the first three games.

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Bryan LaHair doubled twice and Joe Mather hit the first homer by a Cubs outfielder this season Sunday.

"That's a crazy fact," Mather said. "It felt pretty good."

Volstad (0-3, 6.14 ERA) hasn't had much to feel good about this year, nor has he had much recent success against Philadelphia (10-12).

The right-hander allowed four runs in six innings of a 5-1 loss to St. Louis on Wednesday, dropping to 0-8 with a 4.59 ERA in his last 15 starts dating back to last season with Florida.

It's been rough for Volstad since his last victory July 10, though Cubs manager Dale Sveum said he pitched well in his last start. He allowed one run through the first five innings and finished his outing without a walk.

"For the most part, it was a much more improved outing and he pitched more aggressively and used his sinker and did a good job," Sveum told the team's official website.

Volstad is 0-4 with an 8.35 ERA in his last seven starts versus the Phillies, with the Marlins losing all of those games.

He yielded 20 runs and eight homers over the last three, although injured stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley combined for half of those longballs.

Chicago (8-14) will look to take advantage of the Phillies' depleted lineup to win consecutive games in Philadelphia in a single season for the first time since 2001, but facing Vance Worley (2-1, 2.16) may be a difficult task.

Worley allowed four hits in seven innings of a 2-0 win at San Diego on April 19, then gave up one run in six innings to beat Arizona 8-5 on Tuesday. The right-hander allowed one run in eight innings of a 9-1 win July 20 in his only career start against the Cubs.

He'll look for some help from an offense that finished with a season-low two hits Sunday. The Phillies scored their only run when Cubs closer Carlos Marmol walked Ty Wigginton with the bases loaded in the ninth.

Philadelphia has scored two runs or fewer 12 times.

"We didn't hit a ball hard," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We didn't get nothing going. I think Garza had a lot to do with it, but our hitting is inconsistent and we have to be more consistent.

"You have to hit some balls hard to win games. I feel like we're treading water. We have to play a lot better."

There are some signs that may happen Monday. Rollins is 13 for 29 (.448) with a homer and two doubles lifetime against Volstad, while Carlos Ruiz is 9 for 20 (.450) with four doubles and four walks.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Cubs at Phillies
Fri, Apr 27 Final 5 to 1
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 2
Cubs at Phillies
Sat, Apr 28 Final 2 to 5
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 3
Cubs at Phillies
Sun, Apr 29 Final 5 to 1
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 4
Cubs at Phillies
Mon, Apr 30 Final 4 to 6
 Boxscores  •  Recaps

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 CHC  +157   -145   7.5 
 PHI  -167   +125   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 CHC  +155   -150   7.5 
 PHI  -170   +130   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 CHC  10%   23%   52% 
 PHI  90%   77%   48% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 MLB HEAD TO HEAD
 Apr 29, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  CHC « 5 Cover: +100 
  PHI 1 Under: 6 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Apr 28, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  CHC 2 Under: 7 
  PHI « 5 Cover: +100 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Apr 27, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  CHC « 5 Cover: +220 
  PHI 1 Under: 6 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Jul 20, 2011  Score  ATS Results 
  PHI « 9 Cover: +100 
  CHC 1 Under: 10 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Jun 12, 2011  Score  ATS Results 
  CHC 3 Under: 7 
  PHI « 4 Cover: +100 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps
 Jun 10, 2011  Score  ATS Results 
  CHC 5 Over: 12 
  PHI « 7 Cover: +100 
 Tools:   Boxscores  •  Recaps

 MLB PREVIEWS
 Monday, Apr 30
 
  •  Diamondbacks at Marlins
12:40 PM EDT
  •  Royals at Tigers
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Orioles at Yankees
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Rangers at Blue Jays
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Cubs at Phillies
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Athletics at Red Sox
7:10 PM EDT
  •  Pirates at Braves
7:10 PM EDT
  •  Mariners at Rays
7:10 PM EDT
  •  Mets at Astros
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Dodgers at Rockies
8:40 PM EDT
  •  Twins at Angels
10:05 PM EDT
  •  Brewers at Padres
10:05 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
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