Tuesday MLB: Atlanta Braves (39-43) at Chicago Cubs (41-39)
How important was Monday’s 4-2 Cubs win over the Braves at Wrigley Field? With Aramis Ramirez back from injury for the first time in weeks, it marked the first time since Opening Day that the Cubs’ projected starting eight position players all were on the field at the same time.
It was only the 11th time in 80 games that Ramirez and Milton Bradley, the projected fourth and fifth batters, have been in an entire game together. They played the first five games of the season and the last four before Ramirez dislocated his left shoulder on May 8. In between, one or the other was hobbled with leg problems.
Chicago’s best player of late, however, has been first baseman Derrek Lee. He hit a two-run homer Monday is batting .333 with five home runs and 14 RBIs to help the Cubs win five of six games. His homer Monday was his team-leading 16th of the season.
So the Cubs are feeling very good about themselves right now – shoot, even the proposed sale of the team moved one step closer to being finalized on Monday. However, they have opened as very slight underdogs on WagerWeb.com for Tuesday’s game.
It’s the return to Chicago of former White Sox pitcher Javier Vazquez (5-7, 3.05) for Atlanta. In his past six starts, Vazquez has gone 1-3 with a 2.16 ERA. In the process, he has limited opponents to a .213 batting average and .253 on-base percentage. That lone win came against the Cubs on June 22, when he blanked them for 6 2/3 innings.
Chicago counters with Ryan Dempster (5-5, 4.09). He earned his first win since May 30 on Thursday night, allowing three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings and matching a season high with nine strikeouts to beat visiting Milwaukee 9-5. Dempster has been very good in his past two starts vs. Atlanta, and the Cubs have beaten the Braves five in a row at Wrigley. Atlanta is 1-6 in its last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
The Braves have dropped three in a row on the heels of a season-high five game winning streak.
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