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Shields, Rays aim to become first to sweep Cubs

Jun 19, 2008 - 1:45 PM Chicago Cubs (45-27) at Tampa Bay (42-29) 7:10 pm. EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- James Shields and the Tampa Bay Rays will try and become the first team this season to sweep the Chicago Cubs on Thursday when the teams meet in the finale of a three-game interleague series.

B.J. Upton, rookie Evan Longoria and Willy Abar each had an RBI in a four-run third inning to lead the Rays to a 5-4 victory on Wednesday. Tampa Bay clinched its ninth straight series win here, and has won 24 of its last 28 in that span.

Shields (4-5, 3.91 ERA) is pitching on extra rest thanks to a six-game suspension he earned for starting a bench-clearing brawl by drilling Boston's Coco Crisp on June 5. In his most recent start, the righthander allowed six runs and 10 hits in eight innings in a 6-1 loss to Anaheim on June 10.

Shields hopes the Rays' home dominance helps him pick up his first win in seven starts.

Meanwhile, the Cubs are banged up. Slugger Alfonso Soriano is sidelined with a broken wrist, ace Carlos Zambrano left his start Wednesday with shoulder soreness and center fielder Jim Edmonds left in the fourth inning with left soreness.

Sean Gallagher (3-3, 4.54) takes the hill for Chicago aiming to snap a personal two-game losing streak. Gallagher yielded three runs and seven hits in five innings of a 3-2 loss to Toronto on Friday.