LA Dodgers (26-23) at Chi Cubs (29-21)

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la

Dodgers riding pitching into Chicago

Michael Schwartz / MLB.com
Armed with an extra day of rest between starts, Chad Billingsley will look to continue the Dodgers string of solid pitching in the opener against the Cubs.
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Dodgers probable pitcher

Chad Billingsley

  • RHP
  • (4-5) 3.76 ERA
Dodgers: Billingsley continued to pitch like an ace against the Reds, throwing seven scoreless innings and allowing four singles. In this game, he had complete command of his elusive curveball. Billingsley has quality starts in four of his last five appearances. His only appearance against the Cardinals last year was in relief.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 23-14 3.54 289.2 151 260 .249
Season 4-5 3.76 52.2 29 60 .231
May 3-1 2.16 25.0 12 20 .202

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/26/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West) 26 23 .531 3.5 15-11 11-12
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 29 21 .580 - 19-8 10-13
Stats - 05/26/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
LAD .270 230 33 209 47 288 3.95 435.0 423 158 341
CHC .284 288 54 272 30 342 3.72 459.2 420 169 368
chc

Wrigley has been friendly to Fukudome

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Kosuke Fukudome has excelled at home in his rookie season, and he'll look to continue that trend Monday afternoon in the series opener vs. the Dodgers.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Ryan Dempster

  • RHP
  • (5-2) 2.70 ERA
Cubs: Dempster made one bad pitch in his last start against the Astros, and they made him pay. He had given up two earned runs over 20 1/3 innings prior to the game, and Hunter Pence doubled that when he connected on his second career grand slam. Dempster was more upset with how the hitters got on ahead of Pence's slam. He fell behind, which led to bad inning management. Dempster struck out five and walked two over six innings.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 64-77 4.72 1281.2 657 1060 .263
Season 5-2 2.70 63.1 26 53 .181
May 1-2 2.05 26.1 7 31 .190

Dodgers hitters vs Ryan Dempster

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Blake, Casey - - - - - - - -
De Jesus, Ivan - - - - - - - -
DeWitt, Blake - - - - .200 5 0 0
Ellis, A.J. - - - - - - - -
Ethier, Andre - - - - .455 11 1 3
Furcal, Rafael - - - - .000 8 0 0
Hu, Chin-lung - - - - .500 2 0 1
Kemp, Matt - - - - .200 5 0 0
Loney, James - - - - .250 4 0 0
Martin, Russell - - - - .286 7 0 1
May, Lucas - - - - - - - -
Paul, Xavier - - - - - - - -
Pierre, Juan - - - - .429 7 0 1
Ramirez, Manny - - - - 1.000 1 0 1
Repko, Jason - - - - - - - -
Robinson, Trayvon - - - - - - - -

Cubs hitters vs Chad Billingsley

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - .667 3 0 1
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .000 3 0 0
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - - - - -
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .200 5 1 1
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek - - - - .167 6 1 2
Miles, Aaron - - - - .500 4 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .143 7 0 1
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .250 8 0 0
Soto, Geovany - - - - .000 4 0 0
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .500 6 0 1

Down to the quick (26-24) (30-21)

Cubs 3, Dodgers 1

Dodgers denied

Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Los Angeles had its chances, loading the bases with one out in both the sixth and eighth innings, but couldn't break through at Wrigley. Chad Billingsley took the tough-luck loss, limiting the Cubs to two runs on four hits over six frames.

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Series at a Glance

 
Ryan Dempster lowered his ERA to 2.56 on Monday. (Paul Beatty/AP)

Cubs take nail-biter

Nick Zaccardi / MLB.com
Ryan Dempster found himself on the brink of defeat, but he escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the sixth to preserve a one-run lead and his sixth victory. Derrek Lee provided the punch, hitting his 250th career homer, a two-run shot in the first.
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Cubs 3, Dodgers 1

LA DodgersABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Pierre, LF4021100.292
Ethier, RF5020004.302
Martin, C5010014.310
Kent, 2B4030001.242
  1-Hu, PR-SS1000011.185
Sweeney, 1B4000004.100
Kemp, CF3120110.315
DeWitt, 3B3000114.299
Maza, SS2000103.438
  b-Loney, PH1000013.274
  Proctor, P0000000.000
Billingsley, P2000012.111
  a-Tiffee, PH1000000.500
  Park, P0000000.000
  c-Young, PH-2B1000003.259
Totals3611014629 

a-Grounded out for Billingsley in the 7th. b-Struck out for Maza in the 8th. c-Flied out for Park in the 8th.
1-Ran for Kent in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Ethier (11, Dempster), Kemp 2 (11, Dempster, Howry).
TB: Pierre 2; Ethier 3; Martin; Kent 3; Kemp 4.
RBI: Pierre (17).
2-out RBI: Pierre.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Sweeney; Ethier; Maza 2; Martin; Young 2; Hu.
Team LOB: 12.

BASERUNNING
SB: Pierre (19, 2nd base off Dempster/Soto).

FIELDING
DP: (Billingsley-Martin-Sweeney).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF2000210.273
Theriot, SS3110103.309
Lee, 1B4112022.300
Ramirez, A, 3B4121010.299
Fukudome, RF4000023.294
Soto, C4000010.299
Edmonds, CF3010010.173
DeRosa, 2B3010021.315
Dempster, P2000011.143
  a-Hoffpauir, PH1010000.400
  Howry, P0000000.000
  Wood, P0000000.000
Totals3037331110 

a-Singled for Dempster in the 7th.

BATTING
HR: Lee (12, 1st inning off Billingsley, 1 on, 1 out), Ramirez, A (9, 8th inning off Proctor, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Theriot; Lee 4; Ramirez, A 5; Edmonds; DeRosa; Hoffpauir.
RBI: Lee 2 (36), Ramirez, A (36).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Theriot 2.
GIDP: Fukudome.
Team LOB: 6.
 
LA DodgersIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Billingsley (L, 4-6)6.04222713.68
Park 1.02001102.10
Proctor 1.01110315.25
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Dempster (W, 6-2)7.07113302.56
Howry (H, 7)1.02001105.00
Wood (S, 11)1.01000203.38

IBB: DeWitt (by Howry).
Pitches-strikes: Billingsley 83-56, Park 26-16, Proctor 21-13, Dempster 117-71, Howry 24-14, Wood 18-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Billingsley 6-5, Park 2-0, Proctor 0-0, Dempster 8-9, Howry 0-2, Wood 0-1.
Batters faced: Billingsley 23, Park 6, Proctor 4, Dempster 30, Howry 6, Wood 4.
Umpires: HP: Mike Reilly. 1B: Bob Davidson. 2B: Alfonso Marquez. 3B: Andy Fletcher.
Weather: 75 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 14 mph, Out to RF.
T: 2:51.
Att: 41,583.
May 26, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner