--RHP Carlos Marmol extended his scoreless-innings streak to 11 2/3 with a 1-2-3 ninth Sunday night. Marmol's streak covers 11 games. He is 2 1/3 innings short of tying his season-best streak of 14 scoreless innings, achieved April 21 to May 17.
--RHP Ryan Dempster has taken over the team lead in victories, with 13. Dempster's record is 13-5. RHP Carlos Zambrano is 12-5. Dempster also leads the Cubs in quality starts with 16, one ahead of Zambrano and LHP Ted Lilly. --RHP Rich Harden, who opens the series in Atlanta, faced the Braves this year as a member of the Athletics on May 17. Harden got the win May 17 in a 5-4 victory. He pitched seven innings, giving up one run and four hits. Harden is coming off a relatively rough outing with the Cubs. He gave up eight hits and five runs (four earned) Aug. 5 in a victory over Houston. Harden got a no-decision.
--IF/OF Mark DeRosa is coming off a successful homestand as he gets set to take on his former team, the Braves. DeRosa was 9-for-26 with two homers, three doubles and 11 RBI on the recent homestand. DeRosa is happiest when playing second base, but in addition to playing second, he also played right field and third base on the homestand. DeRosa could find himself back in right field if manager Lou Piniella makes good on his threat to bench RF Kosuke Fukudome if Fukudome doesn't start hitting again.
--LHP Neal Cotts will need some work soon. Cotts, who took over as the main lefty reliever after Scott Eyre was traded to the Phillies last, has not worked since Aug. 4, when he pitched a scoreless inning against the Astros.
BY THE NUMBERS: 24 -- The Cubs reached a high-water mark of 24 games over .500 last week. Before that, the last time a Cubs team was 24 games over .500 was at the end of the 1989 season, when the Cubs won the NL East at 93-69.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Charlie Weis is tougher than I am. That I can tell you. It's easier playing for an easygoing guy like me." -- Manager Lou Piniella on RHP Jeff Samardzija having played football at Notre Dame under Weis.
