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Cubs-Padres Preview

Aug 17, 2009 - 2:33 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (60-55) at San Diego (49-69), 10:05 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Cubs have managed to stay in the NL Central race despite having a revolving door of starting pitchers going on the disabled list.

They're about to get a bit closer to full strength.

With two-time All-Star Ted Lilly expected to be activated from the DL for Monday night's opener against the San Diego Padres, the Cubs look to continue their playoff push as they begin a key West Coast trip.

Following Sunday's rainout against Pittsburgh, Chicago (60-55) fell five games back of division-leading St. Louis. The Cubs, who won the first two games versus the Pirates after losing five straight, need a strong showing this week to put pressure on the Cardinals.

Although Chicago was swept in a three-game series at San Diego from May 22-24, the lowly Padres (49-70) have been struggling lately, losing four in a row. After this series at Petco Park, the competition becomes much stiffer for the Cubs, who have a four-game set against NL West-leading Los Angeles beginning Thursday.

In the opener of the trip, Chicago hopes Lilly's return can provide a boost for a pitching corps that has been ravaged by injuries.

The Cubs' recent injury problems began when Ryan Dempster was put on the DL on July 2 with a fractured big toe. A week before his return on July 21, Lilly (9-7, 3.59 ERA) made his first trip to the DL since 2005 because of left shoulder inflammation.

Even with Lilly coming back, the Cubs are still not quite at full strength, as Carlos Zambrano (back spasms) is on the DL until Aug. 25.

"Over a period of six weeks we lost all three starters, it just so happened it was our No. 1, No. 2 and No.3. So we're starting to get the pieces back and hopefully Lilly and Zambrano get our rotation back and we'll play much better," manager Lou Piniella said.

Lilly was Chicago's lone All-Star and led the team in wins, strikeouts (107) and innings (123) at the time of his injury.

He hasn't pitched since being tagged for a season-high nine runs and eight hits in a season-low four innings of a 10-1 loss to Philadelphia on July 20. The left-hander complained of shoulder soreness four days later and was placed on the DL.

While out, Lilly also had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

Lilly looked sharp in a rehab assignment for Single-A Peoria on Wednesday, allowing two hits and one walk in five scoreless innings. He is 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two starts against San Diego this season.

The Padres return to Petco after Sunday's disappointing 7-5 loss to St. Louis. San Diego led 5-4 in the ninth, but All-Star closer Heath Bell gave up a game-tying single to Yadier Molina and a game-ending two-run homer to Colby Rasmus.

While Bell struggled, San Diego's other All-Star, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, continued his torrid streak.

Gonzalez had four hits - including his 32nd homer - and is batting .633 with three home runs, five doubles and eight RBIs in his last six games. He has had similar success against the Cubs this season, hitting .421 with five home runs and seven RBIs in six games.

Kevin Correia (8-9, 4.51) takes the ball in the opener for San Diego, which hosts the Cardinals for four games beginning Thursday.

Since being pounded for a season-high eight runs in 3 1-3 innings of a 9-4 loss to the Phillies on July 23, Correia is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in his last four starts. The right-hander got the win at Milwaukee on Wednesday, giving up three runs and six hits in six innings of a 6-5 victory.

This will be Correia's first start against the Cubs since permitting seven runs and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings of an 8-7, 11-inning loss for San Francisco on July 12, 2008.