After another Ryan Dempster implosion, it seemed like the Cubs were going to let a winnable game slip away on Saturday afternoon. They had a 5-1 lead but found themselves trailing 8-5 going into the bottom of the eighth. Then, a combination of clutch hitting and an implosion by the Dodgers bullpen let the Cubs score five runs, which they held on to for a 10-8 victory.
Now Carlos Zambrano will try to grab another win on the year and close out the weekend with another series for the Cubs. Zambrano is 2-0 on the year, though he does have a 4.21 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. He was the hard luck loser in his most recent start against San Diego, throwing eight shutout innings but still suffering a no decision as the Cubs lost 1-0. Against the Dodgers over his career, Big Z is 2-3 over eight starts with a 3.75 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier both hit him well. Kemp is 3-for-6 with a home run, and Ethier is 6-for-13 with a double.
Going for the Dodgers today will be Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda has been a bit uneven this season. He got wins in his first two starts, but has taken the L in the two since. He's currently 2-2 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Over his career against the Cubs, he's 1-1 with a 0.59 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Few of the current Cubs lineup have extensive experience against him, however. He handles Aramis Ramirez well, but Alfonso Soriano is 3-for-7 with a walk, Marlon Byrd is 2-for-3 with a triple, and Jeff Baker is 2-for-4 also with a triple.
The weather in Chicago is forecast to be a bit chillier than on Saturday, mostly cloudy, with a high in the mid-50s. First pitch is at 1:20 P.M., CDT, and the game will be televised on CSN and TBS.