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Cubs eye eighth straight road victory

Aug 14, 2008 - 10:03 AM Chi Cubs (73-47) at Atlanta (55-65) 7:10 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Owners of the National League's best home record, the Chicago Cubs struggled to find their way away from Wrigley Field early on this season. They seem to have corrected that problem.

The Cubs eye their eighth straight road victory on Thursday when they attempt to complete a sweep of the Atlanta Braves.

On July 22, Chicago dropped a 9-2 decision at Arizona to fall to a season-low nine games under .500 on the road (21-30).

Since that time, the Cubs have outscored their opponents, 59-19, during a seven-game road winning streak that has seen them sweep a series from their closest competition in the National League Central, second-place Milwaukee (70-51), which stands 3 1/2 games behind the division leaders.

Chicago has matched the road streak it last accomplished from June 12-22, 2004, and with another win can win eight straight games away from Wrigley for the first time since rolling to 12 consecutive road victories from July 1-August 3, 1945.

That task will fall to Ted Lilly (11-6, 4.26), who hasn't tasted defeat over his last six starts and will be seeking to win his third straight decision. In Friday's 3-2 triumph over St. Louis, the lefthander took a no-decision despite yielding two runs and seven hits over 7 1/3 innings.

He'll be opposed by lefthander Tom Glavine (2-3, 4.85), who will be making his first start since June 10 because of a sore left elbow. In two minor league rehab starts, the 300-game winner allowed four runs and seven hits over nine innings.