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Indians-Cubs Preview

Jun 20, 2009 - 1:56 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (29-39) at Chicago (31-31), 1:05 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Cubs appear to be showing signs of life at the plate, but they may want to see that resurgence come earlier in games.

After a second straight late comeback for a win, the Cubs continue their three-game set against the reeling Cleveland Indians on Saturday at Wrigley Field.

Derrek Lee hit a game-tying homer off former Cub Kerry Wood in the ninth inning, and Ryan Theriot had a bad-hop RBI single in the 10th to give Chicago (32-31) an 8-7 victory on Friday.

One day after Lee's three-run homer helped the Cubs erase a four-run deficit and beat the rival White Sox 6-5, the star first baseman had a pair of solo shots as Chicago rallied from a 7-0 hole to hand the last-place Indians (29-40) their fourth straight loss.

Chicago has scored 11 of its 14 runs in the last two games after the seventh inning - including four in the eighth of each contest. The Cubs, near the bottom of the NL with 268 runs, totaled 10 while losing five of six prior to Thursday's win.

"We'd like to do this a little earlier in the game and make it easier for ourselves," said Lee, who's batting .369 (24 for 65) with five homers and 14 RBIs during a 16-game hitting streak. "Sometimes you need that confidence to know you can come back."

Cleveland, meanwhile, continues to get burned by its battered bullpen, which has allowed 21 earned runs over 16 2-3 innings during its losing streak.

Wood, who saved 34 games for the Cubs last season and spent a decade with the team before signing with Cleveland, blew his third save in 11 chances.

"I think (Lee) knew what I was trying to do," said Wood, who received a standing ovation in his return to Wrigley.

Luis Vizcaino, who was released by Chicago earlier this season, gave up the winning hit.

Victor Martinez and Luis Valbuena hit three-run homers for the Indians, who've been outscored 38-32 during their current slide. Martinez is 8 for 18 (.444) with two homers and eight RBIs in his last four contests.

Former Cub Mark DeRosa had an RBI single, and is batting .394 (13 for 33) with seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

While the Indians have hit the ball well, they'll be in for a challenge against Ted Lilly (7-4, 2.94 ERA).

Lilly allowed two runs and nine hits while striking out six in 7 2-3 innings of a 3-2 victory over Minnesota on Sunday. He is 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his last four starts, and 4-1 with an NL-best 1.48 home ERA in six at Wrigley.

Making his first appearance versus Cleveland since 2006 while with Toronto, the left-hander is 4-3 with a 4.56 ERA in nine starts against the Indians, who counter with Tomo Ohka (0-1, 4.24).

Taking the spot of the demoted Fausto Carmona in the rotation, Ohka allowed seven hits, including two solo homers to Albert Pujols, over seven innings of a 3-1 loss to St. Louis on Saturday in his first start since June 6, 2007.

"He was very efficient, he trusted his stuff," manager Eric Wedge told the Indians' official Web site. "He had a nice tempo."

The 33-year-old right-hander hasn't faced the Cubs since 2006, and is 1-2 with a 7.30 ERA in five starts against them.