MLB Baseball Interleague Matchup
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Chicago Cubs |
Tampa Bay Rays |
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| Teams |
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|
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| Chicago Cubs |
8½ |
8½ |
8½ |
| Tampa Bay Rays |
+117 |
+115 |
+110 |
Odds subject to change |
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 The Chicago Cubs, owners of the best record in baseball, discovered their last time out what teams in the AL already knew - the Tampa Bay Rays are legitimate playoff contenders.
The Cubs look to even their three-game series against the Rays on Wednesday when they send staff ace Carlos Zambrano to the mound.
Chicago's trip to Tampa Bay (41-29) marks manager Lou Piniella's return to Tropicana Field, but it also features an intriguing interleague series between two of baseball's top teams.
The Rays took Tuesday's series opener 3-2, handing the Cubs (45-26) just their second loss in eight games. Chicago still maintained a 3 1/2-game lead over second-place St. Louis in the NL Central, while Tampa Bay remained two games behind AL East-leading Boston.
Cliff Floyd and Evan Longoria hit solo homers and the Rays' bullpen allowed just one unearned run and three hits in 4 1-3 innings.
"They're a good team. I've seen that all year," said pitcher Ryan Dempster, who started Tuesday for Chicago. "They've got a real good pitching staff. They've got a good bullpen. They've got a lot of good young players."
Tampa Bay picked up its 41st victory on Tuesday - a total it didn't reach until Sept. 1 of last season - and is now one win shy of matching its most victories before the All-Star break. The 2004 club won 42 games before the break, the same year Piniella led the team to a franchise-best 70 wins.
"I'm happy where I'm at right now. It's worked out well for everybody," said Piniella, in his second season with the Cubs.
Zambrano (8-2, 2.98 ERA) looks to help Piniella's team get back in the win column when he takes the hill Wednesday.
Zambrano was 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA in his first three starts of the season following Cubs' losses before getting tagged for season highs of seven runs and 13 hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 7.
The right-hander bounced back nicely from that outing, though, as he gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings of a 3-2, 11-inning victory over Atlanta on Thursday.
Zambrano's last road start came on June 7, but he went 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his previous four on the road. He has won his last three starts in AL parks, allowing seven runs and striking out 23 in 21 innings in those outings.
This will be his first career start against the Rays, who have won 23 of their last 27 games at home, where they are seeking to win their ninth straight series.
Tampa Bay has also won five of its last six home games started by Andy Sonnanstine (7-3, 4.89).
Sonnanstine gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-3 victory over Florida on Friday, his first win since May 16. He set a new career high for victories after going 6-10 as a rookie in 2007.
The right-hander has not been going as deep into games as he was earlier this season. He has not pitched more than six innings in any of his last four starts after throwing six innings or more in eight of his first 10.
Pick: Chicago Cubs
Result: Lost
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