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(Sports Network) - Right-hander Ryan Dempster will attempt to stay perfect in 2008 tonight, when the Chicago Cubs visit the Cincinnati Reds for the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

Back in the rotation with the Cubs after making 140 consecutive relief appearances over the previous two seasons, Dempster has picked up four wins and two no decisions in six starts. The Cubs are 5-1 in games in which he's appeared.

Dempster, who pitched for Cincinnati in 2002-03, defeated the Reds in his third start this season, allowing five hits and four runs in six innings back on April 15.

Lifetime against Cincinnati, he is 4-3 with a 5.08 earned run average and five saves in 32 games (8 starts)

Cincinnati will counter with ballyhooed rookie Johnny Cueto, who's cooled off significantly after a strong start.

The 22-year-old allowed just one hit over seven innings in defeating Arizona in his major-league debut on April 3, but has since picked up three losses and two no decisions in five starts.

He was raked for eight hits and six earned runs in his last appearance, while retiring only five batters in dropping a 7-2 decision to St. Louis on Tuesday.

That start marked the first time in which Cueto failed to finish at least six innings.

Cueto has never faced the Cubs.

Chicago lost the rubber match of a three-game set with rival St. Louis on Sunday, with Albert Pujols stroking a tie-breaking two-run double in the fourth inning and the Cardinals holding on for a 5-3 win.

Cubs starter Jason Marquis (1-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings and issued five walks to take the loss. Reed Johnson had an RBI double for the Chicago, which managed only five hits and fell for the seventh time in 10 games.

The Reds were swept in a three-game series by Atlanta over the weekend. In Sunday's finale, Chipper Jones hit a three-run homer and knocked in five runs, while Mark Kotsay added a solo shot and collected three RBI as the Braves cruised to a 14-7 victory.

Adam Dunn had two hits with a pair of RBI and Paul Bako also had two hits, including a homer, in the Reds' fifth straight setback.

Bronson Arroyo (1-4) was tagged with the loss. The right-hander struggled mightily, giving up seven runs on seven hits while walking a batter over 1 1/3 innings.

Chicago won two of three meetings with Reds at Wrigley Field last month and is 7-3 in its last 10 matchups against Cincinnati. The Cubs went 5-4 in their nine 2007 visits to Great American Ball Park.