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Cubs set to play host to Reds

Sep 5, 2011 - 2:58 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of National League Central rivals go at it today in the opener of a three-game series, as the Chicago Cubs will play host to the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.

Cincinnati has won seven of 11 meetings with the Cubs this season and owns a 19-8 mark in this series since the beginning of the 2010 campaign. The Reds will most likely miss out on a playoff appearance and sit 13 1/2 games out of the Wild Card berth and 14 1/2 games out of first in the NL Central.

The Reds began a nine-game road trip by taking two of three in St. Louis and are coming off Sunday's 3-2 win in 10 innings. Juan Francisco drove in Chris Valaika with a single in the top of the 10th inning to lift Cincinnati, which got four hits from Francisco and a two-run homer out of Edgar Renteria.

Bill Bray picked up the win after getting the final out in the ninth and closer Francisco Cordero shut down the Cards in the bottom of the 10th to earn his 30th save of the year. It is the fifth consecutive season that Cordero has converted at least 30 saves.

"It means a lot," Cordero said. "It shows that I'm doing my job and have been doing my job for a long time."

Reds starter Bronson Arroyo gave up two runs on 10 hits over eight innings of work. He fanned five without issuing a walk.

Dontrelle Willis gets the call for Cincinnati today and he's still searching for his first win of the season. Willis is 0-4 with a 4.10 ERA in 10 starts and hasn't tasted victory since last June 5 versus Colorado as a member of Arizona. Willis lost to Philadelphia on Wednesday and allowed all three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 3-0 loss.

The high-kicking lefty is 0-1 in four road starts this season and owns a 4-3 record and a 4.25 ERA in nine career starts against the Cubs. Willis is making his 200th career start Monday.

Chicago ended a three-game losing streak with Sunday's 6-3 win over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game set, as Marlon Byrd knocked in two runs and both Starlin Castro and Bryan LaHair ended with two hits and an RBI.

Randy Wells earned the win and allowed only one run over six innings before Sean Marshall struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

"I've faced the Pirates a lot. Those guys know what I'm trying to do so I tried to make adjustments and keep them off balance," Wells said.

Matt Garza draws the start for the Cubs today and he's 7-10 with a 3.64 ERA in 26 starts this season. Garza is 2-1 in his previous three outings and defeated San Francisco on the road his last time out during a 5-2 win at AT&T Park. He held the Giants to two runs in 6 2/3 innings and struck out six batters.

Garza, a right-hander, is 4-5 in 14 starts at Wrigley Field this season and lost to the Reds on June 6 at Great American Ball Park. Garza is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in three career starts against Cincinnati and had never faced the Reds before this season.