Series Preview: Chicago Cubs at Dodgers

The Chicago Cubs will kick off their six-game road trip with a three-game set against the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers Friday night.

All games on WGN-AM 720

Friday: 9:10 p.m., WGN-9.
RH Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 2.33) vs. RHP Dan Haren (8-8, 4.49).

Saturday: 8:10 p.m., CSN.
LH Tsuyoshi Wada (1-1, 3.38) vs. LH Hyun-jin Ryu (12-5, 3.44).

Sunday: 3:10 p.m., WGN-9.
RH Edwin Jackson (5-11, 5.79) vs. RH Josh Beckett (6-5, 2.74).

Who’s hot: The Dodgers have won nine of 10 against the Cubs with 19 runs allowed and shutouts in three of the last five. They have also won a season-best give straight at home. The Cubs pitching staff has posted a 2.04 ERA over five games with the bullpen allowing just two runs in 22 two-thirds innings. Cubs’ outfielder Chris Coghlan is batting .385 in 23 games since July 4, which ranks best in baseball ahead of Dodgers’ Matt Kemp (.382). Hendricks has allowed one earned run in his last 161/3 innings and reliever Pedro Strop has not surrendered a run in his last seven outings. Juan Uribe was 7-for15 with three doubles during the Dodgers’ recent streak.

Who’s not: The Cubs have dropped nine of 10 on the road while Junior Lake was 2-for-19 and Starlin Castro only had three RBI over the recent 10-game homestand. Dodgers’ shortstop Hanley Ramirez was 0-for-7 and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez 3-for-14. Dan Haren has lost four straight starts compiling a 9.47 ERA in that span to raise his season mark to 4.49.

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