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Cubs aim to stop slide in Arizona

Jul 19, 2014 - 2:30 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Cubs try to get on track when they resume a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday at Chase Field.

The Cubs have lost three straight and nine of their last 11 games, including Friday's 5-4 setback to the Diamondbacks. The Cubs had a 4-2 lead until the D- backs forged ahead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Paul Goldschmidt homered for the hosts during the decisive inning and Cubs reliever Brian Schlitter was dealt the loss. Edwin Jackson started for the Cubs and allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings.

"I thought he minimized damage," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of Jackson. "He looked very confident, very poised. I thought he threw the ball well. Well enough to give us a chance to win the ball game."

Anthony Rizzo homered twice and drove in three runs for Chicago.

The Cubs have lost seven of their last eight road games and are 20-33 outside of Wrigley Field this season. They hope Travis Wood can cure what ails them when he takes the mound Saturday and the left-hander is 7-8 with a 4.96 ERA.

Wood is 0-3 in his last five appearances and was reached for seven runs and seven hits in six innings of a 10-7 loss to Atlanta on Sunday. He has allowed three or more runs in each of his past five trips to the hill. Wood has a 4-5 mark in 10 road starts and is 2-4 with a 5.29 ERA in six career starts against the Diamondbacks.

Arizona began its six-game homestand on a positive note and has won five of the last eight games. Didi Gregorius went 2-for-4 with two RBI and knocked in a run during the sixth inning. Goldschmidt homered in that frame and has reached base safely in 33 of his last 34 games.

Martin Prado and David Peralta had two hits apiece for the D-backs. Trevor Cahill did not record a decision in the start, allowing three runs in five innings, while Eury De La Rosa picked up the win despite giving up a home run to Rizzo in the sixth.

"I felt pretty good," Cahill said after his first starting assignment with the team since April 13. "I was definitely a little bit nervous."

Addison Reed worked around a walk in the ninth for his 22nd save.

Wade Miley will take the mound for Arizona Saturday and he is 5-6 with a 4.18 earned run average. Miley has won back-to-back outings and tossed seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball in last Saturday's 2-0 win at San Francisco.

Miley hasn't pitched well at home this season, going 1-5 in 10 chances, but is 2-1 with a 3.90 ERA in four career starts against the Cubs. The D-backs are 4-1 in Miley's last five trips to the mound.

The D-backs, who have won four of the past six games at Chase Field, are 9-3 in the last 12 home games versus the Cubs and own a slim 3-2 lead in this season's series between the clubs.