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Colorado Rockies (20-36) at Chicago Cubs (35-21), 2:20 p.m.

(Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs have an opportunity for a perfect week- long homestand, which concludes with this afternoon's finale of a four-game set with the downtrodden Colorado Rockies.

Chicago began the residency with a three-game sweep of Los Angeles and has won the first three tests of this series after holding on for a 5-4 victory over the Rockies on Saturday.

The Cubs have now won 10 of their last 11 matchups at Wrigley Field, including seven in a row, and have amassed a superb 25-8 mark at home this season.

Alfonso Soriano led yesterday's charge with a two-run homer and an RBI single, while Geovany Soto smacked a pair of doubles and knocked in one run for the National League Central-leading Cubs.

Chicago starter Ryan Dempster (7-2) battled through five innings but managed to pick up his seventh win of the year. The former closer allowed three runs and walked four batters, but struck out seven Rockies to improve to 7-0 at Wrigley Field in 2008.

Dempster also helped his cause with an RBI double in the second inning and scored on Soriano's 12th homer of the season.

Ex-Cub Glendon Rusch (1-3) surrendered five runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings to suffer the loss in his Rockies debut. The veteran left-hander signed a minor-league deal with Colorado on May 16 and was promoted from Triple-A to start Saturday's contest.

Omar Quintanilla had a two-run homer for the Rockies, losers of six straight games, while Todd Helton and Scott Podsednik delivered solo shots in defeat.

Colorado is 0-6 thus far on a 10-game road trip and have dropped 16 of its last 18 outings as the visitor. The Rockies are a woeful 8-22 on the road this season.

The defending NL champions have also lost seven straight times at Wrigley Field and are 3-10 over their last 13 overall encounters with the Cubs. Chicago has won four of its five 2008 meetings with Colorado.

Chicago will shoot for the sweep today behind rookie Sean Gallagher, who has impressed since being inserted into the team's rotation earlier this month. The 22-year-old has won two of his last three starts and is fresh off an excellent performance against the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Gallagher hurled a career-high seven innings in that game and limited Los Angeles to one run and just four hits to lead Chicago to a 3-1 decision. He was also sharp in his previous start at home, a 7-4 victory over Pittsburgh in which Gallagher delivered six innings of one-run ball.

The young right-hander faced the Rockies once in relief last August, but was tagged for four runs and three hits while getting just two outs.

Colorado will hand the ball today to slumping youngster Ubaldo Jimenez. Like his team, the well-regarded 24-year-old has not had the success many anticipated this season, as the 1-5 record and 5.37 earned run average he brings into this afternoon's tilt will attest.

Jimenez had seemingly turned the corner when he threw seven shutout innings in a no-decision against San Francisco on May 21, but the Dominican native regressed badly in Tuesday's start at Philadelphia. Jimenez was hammered for seven runs and 10 hits in just four innings by the Phillies to receive the loss.

The right-hander's first major league start came at Wrigley Field on October 1, 2006, with Jimenez getting a no-decision after allowing four runs -- three earned -- in 6 2/3 innings. He was also rocked for nine runs (5 earned) in only two innings in a 10-2 loss to Chicago at Coors Field last August.


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