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Padres' Maddux faces former team

Jun 17, 2007 - 12:52 PM San Diego (39-28) at Chicago Cubs (31-36) 2:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Greg Maddux starts against his former team for the second time this season when the San Diego Padres visit the Chicago Cubs in the finale of a three-game series Sunday.

Maddux (5-3, 3.86 ERA), who spent nine-plus seasons with the Cubs from 1986-92 and 2004-06, pitched here earlier this season and allowed three runs over five innings and did not get a decision in the Padres' 4-3 victory. The 41-year-old is 11-3 with a 2.48 ERA in his career against the Cubs. With his next win, Maddux will have 339 for his career.

The Cubs counter with Rich Hill (5-4, 2.81), who has pitched well in his last four starts. During that span, the 6-5 lefthander has just one win but has posted a 1.62 ERA over 27 2/3 innings. Hill's only other start against the Padres this season was forgettable as he allowed five runs, including four home runs, over six innings in a 5-1 defeat on May 22.

Saturday's meeting between the teams was eventful as Cubs righthander Carlos Zambrano came close to pitching a no-hitter, but wound up taking the loss. Russell Branyan homered in the top of the ninth inning to give Padres to a 1-0 victory.

Zambrano's no-hit bid had been broken up an inning earlier when Marcus Giles singled with one out in the eighth inning. The game also featured a benches-clearing brawl in the bottom of the fourth inning. The incident was touched off when Padres starter Chris Young hit Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee with a pitch near his head and surgically-repaired wrist. The two met near the first base line, and Lee threw a punch at the righthander, who in turn threw a punch at Lee.

Both players were ejected as were Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry and Padres righthander Jake Peavy.