Los Angeles @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 21, 2013 ) Chi. Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 5

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won 27 of their last 34 games to surge to the top of the National League West - and a big part of their success has been their play away from home. The Dodgers will take a 10-game road winning streak into the opener of a four-game series at the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night - the longest in franchise history since the Brooklyn Dodgers won 11 straight away from home in 1955. Los Angeles is 10-2 since the All-Star break and leads the NL West by 2 1/2 games.

Chicago avoided a four-game home sweep by beating Milwaukee on Wednesday to finish 14-13 in July, its first winning month since July 2012. Last week's trade of Alfonso Soriano left a gaping hole in the lineup, but David DeJesus is doing his best to fill the void. DeJesus has multiple hits in five of nine games since returning to the lineup from injury. "It was like us trading for a new player when we got DeJesus back in the lineup," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Ricky Nolasco (6-9, 3.72 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Chris Rusin (1-0, 2.93)

Nolasco will be starting for the first time since July 24 - and the hope is that the extra rest will allow him to pitch deeper into games. He went seven innings in winning his first start for Los Angeles after being acquired from Miami, but has not made it through the sixth in his last three turns. Nolasco is 5-2 with a 2.98 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) versus the Cubs.

Rusin is coming off the best start of his brief major-league career, limiting San Francisco to three hits over seven scoreless innings - although he did not factor in the decision. He beat Arizona in his previous start, giving up two runs on five hits, and will be making his fourth start overall and first at Wrigley Field this season. He was 1-0 in two home starts a year ago.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles won four of six meetings with Chicago last season.

2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo was 6-for-14 in the series versus Milwaukee and tied his career high with his 15th homer.

2. Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez had an 11-game hitting streak and 37-game streak of reaching base snapped Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Cubs 4