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Haren faces old foe as Diamondbacks visit Cubs

May 9, 2008 - 12:33 PM Arizona (23-12) at Chicago Cubs (19-15) 2:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - The Chicago Cubs did not see much of Dan Haren when he was in National League Central.

Haren will face Chicago for the first time in four years on Friday as the Arizona Diamondbacks open a three-game series with the Cubs.

Acquired from Oakland in the offseason, Haren (4-1, 3.12 ERA) spent the first two years of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals - the Cubs' archrival.

The righthander went 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA in two games - one start - against Chicago before being dealt to Oakland for Mark Mulder in 2004. Now back in the NL, Haren is part of one of the best rotations in baseball.

Behind Haren and ace Brandon Webb, the Diamondbacks are fourth in the majors with a 3.54 ERA. Webb tossed a complete game for his eighth straight win in Thursday's 8-3 victory over Philadelphia.

Haren, who allowed two runs and six hits in a no-decision vs. New York on Sunday, will try and send the Cubs to their sixth loss in eight games.

Ted Lilly (2-4, 5.97) gets the ball for the Cubs, who have scored just 24 runs in their last seven games. Lilly yielded three runs and six hits in seven innings of a 9-3 victory over St. Louis on Saturday.

This is the first meeting since Arizona swept Chicago in the 2007 NL Division Series.