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Cubs-Reds Preview

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:32 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (26-25) at Cincinnati (28-25), 7:10 p.m. EDT

After scuffling a bit to start the season, the Chicago Cubs' pitching is beginning to show how dominant it can be.

Ryan Dempster looks to build off his best start of the year and help the Cubs win three straight games for the first time in three weeks Saturday night when they meet the struggling Cincinnati Reds.

With Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Harden anchoring the starting rotation, Chicago (27-25) was widely expected to ride its pitching to another NL Central title. In winning their second straight division crown last season, the Cubs finished third in the NL with a 3.87 ERA.

Chicago's pitching got off to a sluggish start in 2009, though, with Zambrano and Harden each spending time on the disabled list.

The Cubs were 11th in the league with a 4.56 ERA through May 25, but have gotten back on track with a major league-best 1.99 ERA in nine games since.

In Friday's 2-1 series-opening victory over the Reds (28-26), Zambrano allowed two hits in 6 2-3 innings to earn his 100th career win. Chicago has allowed two runs or fewer in seven of its last nine games, winning six.

Dempster (4-3, 4.48 ERA) now looks to help the Cubs post their first three-game win streak since reeling off a season-high five straight victories May 10-16.

After yielding a season-high six runs in a season-low four innings in a 10-8 loss to Pittsburgh on May 25, Dempster gave up three runs and one walk in seven innings of last Saturday's 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chicago manager Lou Piniella removed Dempster because of a blister on his right middle finger, which has been bothering him throughout the season.

"I've been battling it most of the year, but I've tried to keep it quiet," the right-hander said. "We did a good job between starts of getting it where it needs to be and got me out before it flared up. Hopefully we can get past this and not be much of an issue for the rest of the season."

Dempster, who pitched for Cincinnati in 2002 and '03, now tries to post back-to-back wins for the first time all season as he faces a Reds team against which he went 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts last year.

While Chicago's pitching has been outstanding lately, Cincinnati's offense is slumping.

The Reds have combined for two runs and seven hits in losing their last two games and have been limited to two runs or fewer in four of their last six.

Jay Bruce is mired in a 2-for-29 slump for Cincinnati, which has lost six of eight after winning a season-high four in a row.

"We have to learn how to drive in big runs," Reds manager Dusty Baker told the team's official Web site. "We've got to keep teaching and preaching how to do it."

Baker will send Matt Maloney to the mound to make his major league debut.

Maloney takes the place in the starting rotation of Edinson Volquez, who was placed on the disabled list Tuesday due to right elbow tendinitis.

In 10 starts with Triple-A Louisville, Maloney was 4-3 with a 2.00 ERA, striking out 58 over 67 1-3 innings. The left-hander went 2-1 with a 0.73 ERA in his last five outings and struck out 10 in a three-hitter to beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday.

"He's pitched four good games in a row, and it was his day to pitch," Baker said. "That's where the good timing part comes in."