Rollinsfuko

Kevin McAlpin covers the Phillies for 97.5 The Fanatic.  Follow him on Twitter (@KevinMcAlpin)

Coming off a four-game sweep of the Reds, the Phillies look to carry momentum to The Friendly Confines in the first of four against the Cubs.  With 75 games remaining, the Phillies find themselves four-and-a-half games behind the Braves in the NL East.  Throughout Charlie Manuel's six year tenure, the Phils have averaged 46 wins prior to the Mid-Summer Classic and enter the second half with one less win 2009 at this point (48-38 in 2009). 

Tonight, Jamie Moyer (9-8, 4.51) looks to snap a two-game losing streak against the team that drafted him in the sixth round of the 1984 amateur draft.  Eight days ago, the Braves lit Moyer up for seven runs on seven hits in just five-and-a-third including three home runs.  So far, July has not been kind to the 47-year-old Moyer as he's 0-2 with an ERA north of 6.  Back on May 19, Moyer was a hard-luck loser against Chicago as he gave up just two runs on four hits and struck out seven over seven frames at Citizens Bank Park.  The Cubs counter with Ryan Dempster (7-7, 3.61) who won his final start before the break to improve to .500 on the season.  In three lifetime starts against the Phils, Dempster is 0-1 with a 6.63 ERA.

Over their past seven home games, the Confines haven't been so Friendly to the Cubs offense.  They've been outscored 35-12 and have combined to hit .221 as a Club.  Prior to the break, the Phillies embarked on a seven game roady where they went just 2-5 at Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  Finishing the first-half with a sweep of the Central-leading Reds left the Phils in a positive frame of mind heading to the Break.  "We're the same team that we've had the last few years here" said Jayson Werth.  "We've got great players; we've got guys who play big in the clutch.  We have set ourselves up for a run at it."  The race to October and a potential fourth-straight trip to the Postseason begins tonight in the Windy City.