Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Preview, Sunday 8/30, 7:05 CT

This one's really simple. During the Cubs' recent six-game winning streak they scored 40 runs (6.67 per game) and allowed 20 (3.33 per game). During the Cubs' current four-game losing streak they have scored six total runs and allowed 22. (Four of those 22 were a Marlon Byrd grand slam after one of the games was already pretty out of hand.)

This team can, and has, reversed that current bad ratio before. They can do it again. Starting tonight would be a good time to do that.

Here are today's particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Fowler CF, Denorfia RF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Castro 2B, Szczur LF, Montero C, Arrieta P, Russell SS

Prime time with @JArrieta34. Game preview: http://t.co/dPAAccshrC #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/SEtN2lXW1M

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 30, 2015

Dodgers lineup:

Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Gonzalez 1B, Ethier RF, Crawford LF, Grandal C, Pederson CF, Hernandez 3B, Wood P

Today's Starting Pitchers

Jake Arrieta Cubs vs. Alex Wood Dodgers vs. LA -- vs. Cubs

Well, Jake Arrieta, here's your time to step up and stop this losing streak. Arrieta has not faced the Dodgers this year and, oddly enough, didn't face them in 2014, either. You all know how awesome he's been recently, but I'll just repeat it: in his last 13 starts, covering 92 innings (thus, averaging more than seven innings per start), he has a 1.17 ERA, 0.826 WHIP, 89 strikeouts and only one home run allowed.

Another one, please.

Alex Wood was one of the keys to the trade the Dodgers made with the Braves and Marlins on July 30. Just 24, he could be part of the Dodgers rotation for years to come. He has faced the Cubs only once as a starter, July 11, 2014, oddly enough, with Arrieta starting for the Cubs. That lineup is so different from what the Cubs are putting on the field now that it's largely irrelevant. Wood has had a decent year in 2015, but has a 4.34 ERA in five starts since joining the Dodgers, and has not gotten out of the sixth inning in three of the five starts.

Today's game is on ESPN.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Dodgers site True Blue LA. If you do go there to interact with Dodgers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2015 Game Thread procedure has changed a bit. Here's how it will work going forward.

You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream™ containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in the game's StoryStream™ as noted above.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.