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Windy City rivalry renewed as White Sox host Cubs

Jun 20, 2011 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs go from facing one historic American League ballclub to the next, as they are set to kick off a three-game series with the cross-town rival Chicago White Sox tonight from U.S. Cellular Field.

The Cubs and White Sox are meeting for the first time this season, while the latter has taken four of six meetings between the teams in each of the past two years. In fact, the Pale Hose have won 11 of the last 15 matchups with the Cubs.

Not only will the Cubs visit the White Sox on this road trip, but they are slated to take on Kansas City for three games at Kauffman Stadium following this set. They lost the last two contests of a three-game series versus the New York Yankees at Wrigley Field over the weekend and dropped a 10-4 decision Sunday night. The Cubs held a 4-1 lead by the fourth inning until New York exploded for nine unanswered runs, including a three-run, tie-breaking homer by Nick Swisher in the eighth.

Sean Marshall was dealt the loss for allowing two runs in an inning of work and Cubs starter Randy Wells lasted six innings, permitting four runs and five hits in the no-decision. Alfonso Soriano clubbed a three-run homer and Aramis Ramirez finished with four hits for Chicago, which fell to 6-14 in its past 20 contests and went 4-3 on a seven-game homestand.

"It was a fun series to be a part of," said Wells. "We played so well, it's a shame [Sunday's game] ended like it did, because I thought we played some great baseball."

Fiery right-hander Carlos Zambrano will try to pitch the Cubs back into the win column when he draws the start tonight. "Big Z" has dropped two straight starts and is only 1-3 in his past four decisions. He last took the hill in a 9-5 setback to Milwaukee on Wednesday and allowed five runs in six innings, falling to 5-4 with a 4.59 ERA in 15 starts.

Zambrano has fared well on the road this season, as evidenced by his 4-2 mark in eight outings away from Wrigley Field. In 14 career appearances, 12 of which have been starts, against the White Sox, Zambrano is 5-4 with a 4.97 ERA.

The White Sox will kick off a six-game homestand versus the Cubs and Nationals tonight and won the last two installments of a three-game interleague series with the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend at Chase Field.

In an 8-2 victory Sunday afternoon, White Sox starting pitcher Philip Humber threw 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts to improve to 7-3 this season.

"If you look at his stuff, it's not luck," White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said of Humber. "He's got a good arm, he's got all the pitches and he's got the location. I think he's on his way."

Konerko and Alex Rios both homered to help put Humber in the win column, while A.J. Pierzynski doubled twice and drove in three runs.

Konerko has been on fire lately, hitting .441 with nine home runs, 15 runs scored and 19 RBI over his last 18 games. Overall, he is batting .327 with 19 home runs and 56 RBI this season and has gone deep in three straight games.

Gavin Floyd hopes to get as much run support when he toes the rubber Monday for the White Sox. Floyd is only 1-3 in his past four decisions and was dealt the loss in Wednesday's 4-1 defeat at Minnesota, where he surrendered four runs and 11 hits in eight frames.

The right-hander, who is 6-6 with a 3.94 ERA in 14 games (13 starts), will face the Cubs for the third time in his career. He is 0-1 with a 1.20 ERA over the first two starts, spanning 15 innings pitched.