Just when you thought things couldn't get worse for the Cubs, they now get to face Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies. Philadelphia enters Monday's game 24 games over .500 and in first-place in the NL East while the Cubs are 20 games below .500 and in fifth-place in the NL Central. One thing that could be in the Cubs favor is that they are fairly healthy and the Phillies are banged up. The Phillies have seven players on the DL including starters Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco.
Getting the start for the Cubs Monday will be Rodrigo Lopez. Lopez is 1-2 on the season with an ERA of 4.02. The Cubs veteran has pitched better of late. In his last three starts, Lopez is 1-1 with an ERA of 2.04. The right hander has made four starts against Philadelphia in his career and is 1-1 with an ERA of 6.46.
Roy Halladay gets the start for Philadelphia. Halladay is 11-3 on the season with an ERA of 2.45. The Phillies have won each of Halladay's last 10 starts and are 16-3 when the righty has pitched this season.
One key for the Cubs will be to slow down Ryan Howard. Howard has an 18-game hitting streak at Wrigley Field and in his last nine games at the Friendly Confines is hitting .417 with six homeruns and 15 RBI's.
The forecast at the time of first pitch is temps in the 90's under partly cloudy skies. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 CST. The game can be seen on WCIU.