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Barry Rozner reminds us to not panic during tough times and that:

Back in 1984, Cubs players talked often of winning day home games and having their division opponents see that on the scoreboard by the time they took the field that night, adding pressure to keep pace.

So while players sometimes complain about playing day games during the heat of the summer in Chicago, the heat of the pennant race also is a factor.

"We have a lot of confidence at home no matter what time we play," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "But I could see that being a part of it. It's nice to put that 'W' up there early in the day, and letting the other (teams) chase it."

The Cubs are 33-10 (.767) at home this year, their best start ever at Wrigley Field, and are 20-7 (.741) during the day.

When they get home next Tuesday, the Cubs will play 38 of their final 73 at home, including at least 24 under the sun.

Exactly. And this has been, for the most part, a cooler-than-average summer so far.

Sean Marshall will start this weekend against the Cardinals because their lineup is loaded with lefthanded hitters, and after that a decision will be made on whether he stays or goes back to Iowa.

And, more perspective: if you are worried, keep in mind that the Red Sox have now lost five straight in Tampa and are 2.5 games behind them, in danger of being swept there twice in the same season. Feel better now?

Today's Starting Pitchers

R. Dempster Cubs vs. K. Correia Giants 9-3 W-L 1-5 3.26 ERA 4.79 86 SO 26 41 BB 19 10 HR 5 vs. SF -- vs. Cubs

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Kevin Correia has been mostly a reliever in his career before joining the Giants' rotation fulltime this year. Lifetime against the Cubs he's allowed four runs in two innings in four relief appearances. Jim Edmonds (2-for-5, both doubles) is the only Cub who has more than two lifetime plate appearances vs. the Cubs. The Cubs did smack Correia around pretty good in this year's first spring training game on February 28; Mike Fontenot hit a three-run HR off him that day.

Ryan Dempster is coming off his worst start of the season -- he had been amazingly consistent in his previous 16 outings, so let's count that one as an aberration. His 0-6, 5.40 record in 7 career starts vs. the Giants is pretty meaningless, as all seven of those were in 2003 or before, and there's no one left on the Giants from those days. Rich Aurilia is 8-for-19 against him, but he's handled Randy Winn easily (1-for-17, 5 strikeouts).

Today's game is on cable in Chicago and in the Bay Area, on EI and at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's first-pitch thread posts at 9:15 pm CT and, way past my bedtime, the overflow comment threads will post at 10:15 and 11:15 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.