Los Angeles @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( May 25, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 0, Chi. Cubs 3
Two of the National League’s sloppiest yet hottest teams square off tonight as the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The Dodgers are winners of 12 of their last 14. However, they dropped the series opener 3-0 on Tuesday night in a game where they committed three errors, the team’s Achilles heel this year.
Errors have plagued the Dodgers all season. They are tied for third in the National League with 34 errors, led by Casey Blake, who has eight already. The lack of defensive focus has led to Los Angeles allowing 23 unearned runs, also among the most in the majors.
The errors came back to haunt the Dodgers on Tuesday night, as two of the Cubs’ three runs were unearned.
To make matters worse, Los Angeles is still without star Andre Ethier, who is hoping to return in early June after breaking his finger during batting practice. Blake has picked up the slack on offense, hitting 10-for-22 in his last six games with three home runs. Backup outfielder Reed Johnson also has six hits in his last eight at-bats.
Fortunately for Los Angeles, the Cubs are also among the most defensively inept teams. They too have committed 34 errors this year and have allowed 25 unearned runs this season, the second most in the majors.
The Cubs have managed to win three straight and seven of nine by pitching around the errors. Chicago has allowed four runs or fewer in 14 of their past 15 games.
The Cubs will look for Derrek Lee to build upon Tuesday’s performance, when he went 3-for-3 with a home run and all three Chicago RBIs. Lee is only hitting .231 this year with six home runs.
Chicago will send Tom Gorzelanny (2-4, 3.09) to the mound today. He is coming off his best outing of the season, a May 19 start where he blanked the Philadelphia Phillies over 6 2/3 innings.
Gorzelanny will be opposed by Chad Billingsley (5-2, 3.66), who has given up only three earned runs and struck out 18 over 19 2/3 innings in his last three starts.
Chicago third basemen Aramis Ramirez missed Tuesday’s game with a thumb injury. He’s now sat out three of the last four games and is hitting a paltry .160 for the year.