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Cubs go for sweep without Soriano

Jun 12, 2008 - 12:12 PM Atlanta (32-34) at Chicago Cubs (42-24) 2:20 p.m. EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs will be without star left fielder Alfonso Soriano when they go for a three-game series sweep of the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.

Soriano was hurt Wednesday when Braves pitcher Jeff Bennett hit him in the left hand with a pitch in the second inning. Soriano was taken to Northwestern Hospital where X-rays revealed a fractured ring finger.

The slugger will have his finger in a splint for the next three weeks and is expected to be out of the lineup for four-to-six weeks total.

Soriano missed just over two weeks in April with a strained calf, but the Cubs' offense did not miss a beat as the team went 9-5 while averaging over seven runs per game.

The best home team in the National League at 28-8, Chicago has won 10 straight at Wrigley Field and took Wednesday's contest, 7-2, behind Ryan Dempster's complete game and a three-run homer from Kosuke Fukudome.

The Cubs will send ace Carlos Zambrano (8-2, 3.01 ERA) to the mound in the finale on Thursday. The veteran righthander is coming off his worst outing of the season at Los Angeles on Saturday, when he allowed seven runs and 13 hits in 6 2/3 innings to suffer his first loss since April 11.

Atlanta will counter with its own ace, righthander Tim Hudson (7-4, 2.86). The 32-year-old was sharp in his last outing, allowing just one run and five hits in 7 2/3 innings against the Phillies but did not factor in the decision.

Hudson has never lost to the Cubs, owning a 2-0 record with a 4.70 ERA in four starts.