With three runs in the first three games in Wrigley Field this weekend, the Dodgers are looking to get their offense back in gear as they make their first of two consecutive appearances on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.
Eric Milton, fresh off his first win in almost two years last Tuesday, will start for the Dodgers. Sean Marshall will start for the Cubs, making this a battle of lefties. The Cubs' starting pitcher has pitched seven innings in each of the first three games of the series.
He may not hit .400 this month, but Juan Pierre is still hitting .394/.467/.553, with 20 runs and nine steals since Manny Ramirez was suspended. In took 22 games, but Pierre has finally overtaken Ramirez as the regular leftfielder on the 2009 Dodgers Baseball-Reference page. The listed starters are determined by the most defensive innings at each position, and Pierre overtook Ramirez on Saturday, 230 innings to 224.
Matt Kemp has been hot of late. In his last ten games (nine starts), Kemp is batting .405/.463/.486, with six runs and three stolen bases.
Russell Martin is still homerless on the season, but he's not the only catcher struggling to find his power. Geovany Soto of the Cubs is also struggling, says Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times:
Where has Geovany Soto's power gone?
It's the question the Cubs are asking of the second-year catcher, who's struggling at the plate after dealing with right shoulder soreness through the spring.
''We're talking about one home run at the first of June,'' Piniella said. ''He's slowly been getting better [offensively], but I don't know where the power's gone.''
Casey Blake is not expected to start, due to his sore right hamstring, says Ken Gurnick.
Get your guesses in for "Just A Bit Outside" here.