Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

(Sports Network) - Right-hander Ryan Dempster will try to rebound from his first loss of 2008 today, when the Chicago Cubs entertain the Arizona Diamondbacks again in the middle contest of a three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field.

Dempster had been 4-0 with two no-decisions heading into a May 5 start at Cincinnati, but he allowed four hits and five runs -- all unearned -- in a 5-3 loss to the Reds. He struck out seven batters and walked one, while watching his earned run average drop from 3.16 to 2.72 in spite of the result.

The righty, who is 4-0 with a 4.30 ERA in four home starts in 2008, owns a 1-4 record with a 6.04 earned run average through 13 career games (nine starts) against the Diamondbacks.

Diamondbacks rookie pitcher Max Scherzer gets another crack at the mound this afternoon, when he takes on the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Scherzer is 0-1 with a 5.40 earned run average in two games (one start) this season. He made his major league debut on April 29 versus Houston, hurling 4 1/3 perfect innings of relief with seven strikeouts in a 6-4 loss. He made his first-career start against Philadelphia on Monday, but was roughed up for five runs and eight hits in four innings of an 11-4 setback.

The right-handed Missouri product will face Chicago for the first time.

On Friday, Ted Lilly tossed seven brilliant innings, and Derrek Lee homered as Chicago downed Arizona, 3-1.

Lilly (3-4) allowed just one run on three hits, while walking two and fanning 10 for the Cubs, who have won two of their past three games. Carlos Marmol threw a scoreless eighth and Kerry Wood earned his sixth save of the year by hurling a perfect ninth to finish the game.

Lilly and Alfonso Soriano drove in a run apiece for Chicago.

Chris Young homered to account for the lone Diamondbacks run. Stephen Drew, Chris Snyder and Augie Ojeda each recorded a hit for Arizona, which has lost two of three but still sports the best record in the big leagues at 23-13.

Dan Haren (4-2) was the hard-luck loser for the D'Backs, surrendering just two runs on five hits in seven innings.