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Cubs hope to get bounce-back effort from Zambrano vs. D-Backs

Apr 29, 2011 - 3:05 PM (Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs hope Carlos Zambrano can make it out of the first inning Friday after Ryan Dempster failed to do so last night in the opener of this four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Dempster was shelled to the tune of seven runs and four hits in a career-worst one-third of an inning during Thursday's 11-2 loss at Chase Field. Dempster was victimized by a grand slam off the bat of Stephen Drew in the first inning and fell to 1-3 on the season.

"It didn't really start out like I dreamt it up last night," Dempster said. "Just got to continue to make pitches and go from there."

Justin Berg relieved Dempster of his duties and was reached for three runs over the next 3 2/3 frames, while Koyie Hill homered and Marlon Byrd scored on a sacrifice fly by Reed Johnson to account for Chicago's scoring. The Cubs have lost four in a row and six of seven games and will also visit Los Angeles for three games on the current road swing.

The Cubs turn to Zambrano for tonight's second test of this set in the desert and the right-hander's 2-1 with a 5.28 earned run average in five starts. He was on the wrong end of a 7-3 loss versus the Dodgers on Easter Sunday, when he permitted six runs and eight hits in five innings. He had thrown eight shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in the previous appearance with San Diego.

Zambrano was sent to the loss column for the first time since a 6-0 defeat to the White Sox on June 25 of last season and is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in six career games (5 starts) against Arizona.

The Diamondbacks will resume their 10-game homestand and have won three of the first four bouts on the residency. After taking two of three meetings with Philadelphia, the D'Backs continued their success with last night's beating of the Cubs in the desert.

Drew's grand slam in the first inning set the tone and he finished with three runs scored and five RBI for Arizona, which got a home run and three runs batted in from Miguel Montero. Chris Young provided three hits, two runs scored and a pair of runs driven in.

"Just tried to get a really good pitch to drive," Drew said of his big slam in the bottom of the first. "He threw it in, [and I] put a good swing on it."

Barry Enright earned the win -- his first of the season -- for Arizona with 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball and allowed five hits with four K's and four walks. Enright did give up a home run to Hill.

Armando Galarraga vies to get back on track when he makes his fifth start of the season tonight. He had won his first three starts of 2011 before losing at the New York Mets on Sunday in an 8-4 setback from Citi Field. Galarraga allowed six runs -- two earned -- in a season-low three innings, falling to 3-1 with a 6.00 earned run average.

The right-hander won his Arizona debut against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 6, as he lasted seven innings and gave up four runs in a 6-4 victory. Galarraga is undefeated in two career starts against the Diamondbacks.

Chicago took two of three matchups from the D'Backs in that series earlier this month, but Arizona ended an eight-game slide to the Cubs in Galarraga's debut. The Cubs were unbeaten in their last three visits to Chase Field until losing Thursday's series opener by nine runs.