Chicago @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 24, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 7, Chi. Cubs 8

THE STORY: A pair of struggling crosstown rivals meet for the first time in 2011 when the Chicago Cubs head to the south side of town Monday night to open a three-game interleague series with the White Sox. The rivalry has tilted recently in favor of the White Sox, who have won four of six games in each of the last two seasons. The Cubs have not had the upper hand since taking five of six in 2007.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Comcast Sports, WCIU (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Carlos Zambrano (5-4, 4.59) vs. White Sox RH Gavin Floyd (6-3, 2.95)

Zambrano was enjoying a hot streak in late May, allowing just three earned runs over a span of 21 innings, but he has struggled in two starts since lashing out at his teammates after a June 5 no-decision, surrendering 12 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings during back-to-back losses. He is 5-4 with a 4.97 ERA against the White Sox, with 13 home runs allowed in just 76 innings. Zambrano has had trouble with Chicago DH Adam Dunn, who has seven homers in 62 at-bats as well as 18 walks. 1B Paul Konerko is 9-for-29 with four homers.

Floyd pitched his fifth career complete game and his first of the year at Minnesota on June 15, but he was still saddled with the loss after giving up four runs on a season-high 11 hits. He has allowed 11 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings since throwing an inning of emergency relief May 28 at Toronto. In two career starts against the Cubs, Floyd has a 0-1 record despite giving up just two runs in 15 innings. He lost a 1-0 duel with Ted Lilly last June 13.

ABOUT THE CUBS (29-42): Chicago's shaky pitching staff, which sits at the bottom of the major leagues in ERA and several other categories, reverted to form Sunday. After holding the high-powered New York Yankees to just five runs over the first two games of their weekend series, the Cubs allowed 10 on 13 hits in the series finale, including six in the last two innings. The offense has had its moments, ranking fourth in the majors in batting average. SS Starlin Castro leads the way with a .315 average, while LF Alfonso Soriano (.276, 34 RBIs) hit his team-leading 14th home run on Sunday.

ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (35-38): Chicago closed a weekend series at Arizona with two straight wins, riding the bats of CF Alex Rios and Konerko. Rios has been an unlikely hero, homering twice and driving in five runs over the last two games after collecting just 15 RBIs in his first 67 games this season. Konerko, meanwhile, has been a consistent producer all season long, leading the team with a .327 average, 19 homers and 56 runs batted in. He has been particularly hot in June, going 23-for-54 with eight home runs and 15 RBIs.

FINAL PITCH: The Cubs have drawn fewer walks (176) the major leagues, while only two American League clubs have been granted fewer free passes than the White Sox (216).