Cubs-Giants Preview

As much as this season has been a relative disappointment for the Chicago Cubs, at least they haven't given up.

After posting their third consecutive winning season for the first time in 37 years, the Cubs go for their first-ever four-game sweep in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon.

Chicago (81-73) won its third straight and sixth in seven games with Saturday's 6-2 victory over the slumping Giants.

"I don't know what our record is but we've been playing good ball," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose club has won nine of 12 on the road but will in all likelihood not return to the postseason after winning the 2008 NL Central title.

Chicago, which finished 97-64 and 85-77 the last two seasons, has clinched a .500 or better record for three straight years for the first time since a six-season stretch from 1967-72.

Chicago, though, has never swept a four-game set in San Francisco since the Giants relocated there from New York in 1958.

Ted Lilly was scheduled to take the mound in Sunday's series finale, but will miss his second straight start with left shoulder tendinitis. In his place, Piniella will hand the ball to rookie right-hander Randy Wells (11-9, 3.00 ERA).

Wells gave up one run over six innings of Tuesday's 7-2 win at Milwaukee, rebounding after failing to make it out of the fifth inning in his previous two outings.

"I want to get as many (starts) as I can just to show (Piniella) that I can handle the workload and head into next year with some confidence that I can handle the load," he said.

When Wells faces the Giants for the first time Sunday, he'll try to lead the Cubs past them in the wild-card standings.

San Francisco (82-73) has dropped seven of 10 to become a longshot to reach the postseason for the first time since 2003.

"It's getting down to a miracle," said manager Bruce Bochy, whose club would need to leapfrog three teams in the standings to win the wild card. "I think we've made it real, real difficult."

Right-hander Matt Cain (13-7, 2.99) hasn't made it any easier for the Giants lately.

Cain was 10-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 18 starts before the All-Star break, but is 3-5 with a 3.80 ERA in 13 starts since, including losses in his last three outings.

He yielded seven runs and eight hits over 2 1/3 innings in Tuesday's 10-8 loss at Arizona.

"It's very disappointing. I feel like I let a lot of guys down," Cain said.

It was the right-hander's shortest career start not ended by injury. Cain left after 1 2/3 innings against San Diego on July 11 after getting hit by a line drive right above his right elbow.

Cain is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA in seven career starts versus Chicago.

He needs a win to surpass a career high set in 2006, when he went 13-12 with a 4.15 ERA.

Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee missed his second straight game Saturday with neck spasms, but Aramis Ramirez returned after missing a game with a sore left shoulder and hit a solo homer. Ramirez is batting .321 with six homers and 31 RBIs in his last 35 games.

The Giants learned Saturday that second baseman Freddy Sanchez won't return this season due to a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. Sanchez hit .284 with a homer and seven RBIs in 25 games since being acquired from Pittsburgh on July 29.

Giants infielder Juan Uribe went 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs Saturday. He is batting .420 with three homers and 12 RBIs in his last 13 games.