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Dodgers search for offense vs. Cubs

Jun 5, 2008 - 2:04 PM Chi Cubs (38-22) at LA Dodgers (28-31) 10:10 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs' recent nine-game winning streak consisted solely of victories against the National League West. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Dodgers take their shot at revenge.

The Dodgers attempt to halt their losing ways when they begin a four-game series with the Cubs.

Los Angeles - which has dropped 10 of its last 13 - was among the league's top scoring teams when leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal played his last game on May 5. The Dodgers' sparkplug was on the disabled list eight days later and the offense has yet to recover, falling to the middle of the pack in runs scored.

Runs have been very hard to come by, especially lately, as Wednesday's 2-1 home loss to Colorado marked the fourth time in the last five games - and the 14th time in 27 games since Furcal has been out - that the Dodgers failed to score more than two runs in a game.

Three of those low-scoring outputs came at the beginning of the Cubs' nine-game winning streak when they swept the Dodgers in three low-scoring contests at Wrigley Field.

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster (7-2, 2.75 ERA) hopes to keep runs at a premium again when he starts the opener on Thursday.

The righthander, who defeated Los Angeles in the opener of that series, will target his third win in as many starts after allowing three runs and three hits over five frames in Saturday's 5-4 win over Colorado.

The Dodgers will counter with Chad Billingsley (4-6, 3.29), who did not factor into the decision in his last start despite a stellar outing. The righthander held the Mets scoreless over seven innings - allowing four hits and three walks with four strikeouts - but watched helplessly as reliever Jonathan Broxton surrendered three late runs in a 3-2 setback on Saturday.