Philadelphia @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2011 ) Philadelphia 4, Chi. Cubs 2

THE STORY: The Philadelphia Phillies were in danger of losing their first series since mid-June. After dropping the first game in lackluster fashion, the Phillies erased a two-run deficit with a pair of two-run doubles to post a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. With the triumph, Philadelphia became the first major league team to record its 60th win of the season while handing Chicago its ninth loss in 13 outings. The teams will wrap up their three-game series on Wednesday with an afternoon tilt at Wrigley Field.

TV: 2:20 p.m., CSN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vance Worley (5-1, 2.15 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Ryan Dempster (7-6, 4.68 ERA)

The rookie Worley is carving out quite the niche on Charlie Manuel's vaunted pitching staff. Worley has won three in a row, while surrendering a total of three runs in his last five starts. The 23-year-old Californian allowed one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings in a 7-2 triumph over the rival New York Mets on Friday. He did not face the Cubs earlier this season when the teams met in June. Worley was pitching in Triple-A Lehigh Valley at the time.

Dempster claimed his second straight win in spectacular fashion Friday. The 34-year-old British Columbia native scattered four hits and struck out nine over eight shutout innings as the Cubs held on for a 2-1 triumph over the Florida Marlins. Dempster did not face the Phillies earlier this season, but he does own a 5-4 career mark with a pair of saves against them.

ABOUT THE PHILLIES (60-36): Manuel said earlier in the week that he wished to ease Ryan Madson back into the closer's role. On Tuesday, both Manuel and Madson watched as Antonio Bastardo struck out the side in the ninth for his seventh save of the season. Gold Glove outfielder Shane Victorino returned from the disabled list and went 0-for-4 Tuesday. Jimmy Rollins collected a pair of hits Tuesday to up his batting average to .365 in the month of July. Rollins is 10-for-40 with one homer in his career against Dempster. Roy Halladay left Monday's start due to heat exhaustion, but the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner expects to make his next start. Roy Oswalt admitted he felt no lower back pain during a bullpen session on Tuesday afternoon. The veteran is hoping to return to the Phillies' rotation by the start of August.

ABOUT THE CUBS (39-59): Starlin Castro belted a two-run homer in the first inning to put Cliff Lee and the Phillies on their heels. All told, he went 2-for-5 for the second straight game to notch his 36th multi-hit contest of the season. Last season, Castro collected 39 multi-hit games. Castro has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 contests. Aramis Ramirez is also swinging a hot bat. The subject of constant trade rumors, Ramirez went 2-for-4 on Tuesday and has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games. The veteran obviously hasn't faced Worley - and is batting just .257 in his career against the Phillies. Alfonso Soriano collected his second straight 0-for-4 performance and hasn't recorded a hit in five games.

FINAL PITCH: Philadelphia has not lost a series since June 17-19, when they dropped two of three on the road to the Seattle Mariners.