--RHP Ryan Dempster has not allowed more than four runs in a start over his last eight outings. In seven of those eight starts, he pitched through the sixth inning while allowing four runs only once. He has the Cubs' last two quality starts, Sunday and Aug. 10. When asked about a possible Cy Young run, he said: "There's a lot more guys ahead of me in that (race)," he said. "I just worry about making my starts."
--RHP Rich Harden opens the series against the Reds on Tuesday. He has not started against the Reds since 2004. He'll be making his 20th start of the season and his seventh with the Cubs, for whom he's 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA. --SS Ryan Theriot finished the recent road trip 8-for-23. He has multiple hits in three of his last six games. Theriot leads Cubs regulars with a .396 on-base percentage. He also has 47 multi-hit games.
--1B Derrek Lee walked three times in Sunday's finale at Florida. Lee, who has been slumping, was 6-for-21 on the road trip. He has not hit a home run since July 27.
--C Geovany Soto had a five-game hitting streak snapped Sunday. Soto was 8-for-15 during the streak. He has hit safely in 16 of his last 22 games.
BY THE NUMBERS: 27.4 -- Cubs catchers Geovany Soto and Henry Blanco entered the week having thrown out 27.4 percent of runners trying to steal (23 of 84). That placed the Cubs ninth in the major leagues. Last year, Cubs catchers ranked 29th, throwing out just 11 percent, or 15 of 116.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Don't I still smell like a brewery?" -- Pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, after crushing a three-run homer last Friday in Florida to lift the Cubs to come-from-behind 6-5 victory. Ward had been 4-for-40 as a pinch hitter, and his teammates doused him with beer after the game.
