Chicago @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 6, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 6, Arizona 4
It seems like the Chicago Cubs just need to keep playing games against National League West opponents if they want to turn their season around.
The Cubs look to continue their dominance against the NL West and sweep the Arizona Diamondback when the teams wrap up a three-game set on Wednesday.
Chicago has won the first two games of the series, scoring 15 runs in the process. The Cubs won the opener 9-4 on Monday and took Tuesday’s second game 6-4 on the strength of a pair of two-run home runs by third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Kosuke Fukudome also homered for the Cubs and has gone deep in each of the first two games of the series.
Winners of three of their last four games, the Cubs are 9-2 against the NL West this season. They move on to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers after finishing up with the D'backs.
Ryan Dempster (6-7, 3.54 ERA) starts today for the Cubs and will need a little help from the Chicago offense for a change if he is to help the team complete the series sweep.
Dempster has lost two of his last three starts in which the Cubs were shut out both times. In his last 10 starts, Dempster has given up three runs or less seven times but the Cubs are only 4-6 in that span.
In 16 career appearances against Arizona, including 12 starts, Dempster has not had much success. He is 1-6 with a 6.11 ERA against the Diamondbacks.
Arizona made moves to change the culture around the team but they have not worked out and certainly have not changed the team's losing ways. The Diamondbacks have lost four straight and are 1-4 since A.J. Hinch was fired and replaced by Kirk Gibson.
Edwin Jackson (6-6, 4.74) gets the start for Arizona and will be looking to win his fourth straight outing. Jackson has been taking it out on former teams of late. He topped Detroit on June 19 and then no-hit the Tampa Bay Rays on June 25 despite allowing eight walks.
A sixth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001, Jackson won his last start, which came Friday in Gibson's first game as Arizona manager.
Jackson has faced the Cubs once this season and will be seeking a little payback this time around. He gave up eight runs and 11 hits in four innings, taking the loss in a 10-5 defeat at Chicago on May 2.