It's been a tough year for Ryan Dempster. He's been uncharacteristically susceptible to bad innings and long balls, and his on the mound struggles have had many a Cubs fan scratching their heads and wondering what on earth is wrong with the pitcher who started on opening day.
Dempster, now at 1-3 with an ugly 9.58 ERA and 1.87 WHIP, will try to have a good start against the Dodgers on Tuesday night. Even a quality start of six innings and three runs or less would be an improvement over what he's been pitching lately. Over his career, he's 7-3 against the Dodgers, with a 2.81 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Andre Ethier hits him particularly well, with a .368 average, four doubles, and a home run.
The Dodgers will send Chad Billingsley to the mound this evening. Billingsley is now 2-1 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. When the Cubs last saw him, he pitched 6.1 innings and held them to just two runs on seven hits. In that game, Kosuke Fukudome hit him well, going 2-for-3.
The weather in L.A. is expected to be clear and warm, with a game time temperature in the mid-70s. First pitch is at 9:10 P.M., CDT, and the game will be televised on WGN.