Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds MLB Live Streaming Online Baseball Radio Commentary Internet Video Feed Espn 360 Gamecast Experts Review Broadcast June 8, 2011. The Cincinnati Reds have had no trouble beating the Chicago Cubs since the start of last season, and are perfect against them at Great American Ball Park this year.
They haven't swept a three-game home series from them, however, since they played at Riverfront Stadium.
Cincinnati (32-30) has won the first two games of this series by identical 8-2 scores, and has outscored Chicago 31-13 in winning the last five meetings.
Miguel Cairo provided the big blast Tuesday, hitting his second career grand slam in the seventh inning to make it 8-1. Jay Bruce scored his second run of the game on Cairo's homer, and is batting .440 with four homers, seven RBIs and 10 runs in his last seven home games against the Cubs (23-36).
Cincinnati is 6-1 this season against Chicago -- including 4-0 in Cincinnati -- and 18-5 over the last two seasons. The Reds swept a two-game series from the Cubs at Great American Ball Park in mid-May, but haven't swept a three-game set at home since Sept. 24-26, 1996.
Cincinnati appears to have the right pitcher starting to help the club continue its dominance in this series.
Bronson Arroyo (4-5, 5.37 ERA) is 4-1 with a 1.32 ERA in his last seven starts against Chicago. He was on the mound for the Cubs' lone win in this season's series, but the right-hander wasn't at fault.
At Wrigley Field on May 7, Arroyo allowed a run and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings and departed with the Reds leading 2-1. Chicago rallied in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2.
Against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, Arroyo gave up one run and five hits in six innings of a 2-1 win. He had gone 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in his final three starts in May.
Besides trying to prevent being swept, Chicago also hopes to avoid losing nine straight games for the first time since May 8-18, 2002.
The Cubs got 10 hits Tuesday for the second night in a row but left seven runners on base. They've scored 15 runs in the last seven games, and No. 3 hitter Starlin Castro is batting .154 with one RBI in six games this month.
"When you're going bad, everyone wants to point fingers," losing pitcher Doug Davis said. "You have to look at the guy in the mirror and that has nothing to do with what (Carlos Zambrano) said."
Zambrano let out some frustration Sunday, calling out closer Carlos Marmol for throwing what he believed was a questionable pitch with two outs in the ninth inning and the Cubs leading.
Ryan Dempster (4-5, 6.32) takes the ball in the finale after allowing six runs and eight hits in five innings in Friday's 6-1 loss to St. Louis. The right-hander had posted a 2.08 ERA in winning his previous two starts.
Dempster, who has the majors' second-highest ERA, has been incredibly inconsistent lately. Since April 23, Dempster has a 14.06 ERA in four of his starts but a 2.18 ERA in the other five.
He made a start against the Reds during this stretch May 8 and pitched well, allowing two runs, five hits and no walks in seven innings, but was saddled with a 2-0 loss. Dempster is 2-4 with a 2.78 ERA in seven starts against Cincinnati since 2008.
Dempster has limited Joey Votto to a .167 average with two homers in 18 career at-bats.
They haven't swept a three-game home series from them, however, since they played at Riverfront Stadium.
12:35 PM ET, June 8, 2011
Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Injury ReportThe Reds look to sweep a three-game home set from the sputtering Cubs for the first time in 15 years Wednesday.
Chicago
* Alfonso Soriano LF - Jun 8: 15-Day DL
* Jeff Baker 2B - Jun 8: 15-Day DL
* Reed Johnson OF - Jun 8: 15-Day DL
* Angel Guzman RP - Jun 7: Day-to-Day
* Marlon Byrd CF - Jun 6: 15-Day DL
* Aramis Ramirez 3B - Jun 5: Day-To-Day
* Matt Garza SP - Jun 4: 15-Day DL
Cincinnati
* Homer Bailey SP - Jun 8: 15-Day DL
* Scott Rolen 3B - Jun 8: Day-To-Day
* Aroldis Chapman RP - Jun 7: 15-Day DL
* Edgar Renteria SS - Jun 6: Day-To-Day
* Sam LeCure RP - Jun 5: 15-Day DL
Cincinnati (32-30) has won the first two games of this series by identical 8-2 scores, and has outscored Chicago 31-13 in winning the last five meetings.
Miguel Cairo provided the big blast Tuesday, hitting his second career grand slam in the seventh inning to make it 8-1. Jay Bruce scored his second run of the game on Cairo's homer, and is batting .440 with four homers, seven RBIs and 10 runs in his last seven home games against the Cubs (23-36).
Cincinnati is 6-1 this season against Chicago -- including 4-0 in Cincinnati -- and 18-5 over the last two seasons. The Reds swept a two-game series from the Cubs at Great American Ball Park in mid-May, but haven't swept a three-game set at home since Sept. 24-26, 1996.
Cincinnati appears to have the right pitcher starting to help the club continue its dominance in this series.
Bronson Arroyo (4-5, 5.37 ERA) is 4-1 with a 1.32 ERA in his last seven starts against Chicago. He was on the mound for the Cubs' lone win in this season's series, but the right-hander wasn't at fault.
At Wrigley Field on May 7, Arroyo allowed a run and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings and departed with the Reds leading 2-1. Chicago rallied in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2.
Against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, Arroyo gave up one run and five hits in six innings of a 2-1 win. He had gone 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in his final three starts in May.
Besides trying to prevent being swept, Chicago also hopes to avoid losing nine straight games for the first time since May 8-18, 2002.
The Cubs got 10 hits Tuesday for the second night in a row but left seven runners on base. They've scored 15 runs in the last seven games, and No. 3 hitter Starlin Castro is batting .154 with one RBI in six games this month.
"When you're going bad, everyone wants to point fingers," losing pitcher Doug Davis said. "You have to look at the guy in the mirror and that has nothing to do with what (Carlos Zambrano) said."
Zambrano let out some frustration Sunday, calling out closer Carlos Marmol for throwing what he believed was a questionable pitch with two outs in the ninth inning and the Cubs leading.
Ryan Dempster (4-5, 6.32) takes the ball in the finale after allowing six runs and eight hits in five innings in Friday's 6-1 loss to St. Louis. The right-hander had posted a 2.08 ERA in winning his previous two starts.
Dempster, who has the majors' second-highest ERA, has been incredibly inconsistent lately. Since April 23, Dempster has a 14.06 ERA in four of his starts but a 2.18 ERA in the other five.
He made a start against the Reds during this stretch May 8 and pitched well, allowing two runs, five hits and no walks in seven innings, but was saddled with a 2-0 loss. Dempster is 2-4 with a 2.78 ERA in seven starts against Cincinnati since 2008.
Dempster has limited Joey Votto to a .167 average with two homers in 18 career at-bats.
