Cincinnati @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2011 ) Cincinnati 4, Chi. Cubs 11

THE STORY: The suprisingly hot Chicago Cubs put their seven-game win streak on the line when they host the finale of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. After eking out a 4-3 victory in Friday's opener, the Cubs pounded Reds ace Johnny Cueto en route to an 11-4 triumph Saturday. Carlos Zambrano pitched six strong innings and added a solo home run, the seventh of his career against the Reds.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FS Cincinnati, CS Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Bronson Arroyo (7-9, 5.45 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Randy Wells (3-4, 5.89).

Arroyo is winless in his last six starts, but he is coming off his first quality start since June 19, an eight-inning effort at Houston on August 1 (six hits, three runs, two walks, three strikeouts). The Reds are 9-13 with Arroyo on the mound, with losses in his last four outings overall and both starts this season against Chicago. In 22 career starts against the Cubs, Arroyo is 9-8 with a solid 2.79 ERA. He has handcuffed Chicago left fielder Alfonso Soriano (8-for-42, 13 strikeouts). Wells has shown signs of life recently, winning two of his last three starts after going three and a half months without a victory. He still has only four quality starts in 13 games this season, pitching past the sixth inning once and topping out at 6 1/3 innings. An ugly 2011 aside, Wells has done well in the past against the Reds, posting a 4-1 record and a 2.64 ERA in seven career starts. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto is only 3-for-17 against him.

ABOUT THE REDS (54-59): Not even Cueto, who brought a major league-best 1.72 ERA into the weekend, could put the brakes on Cincinnati's recent slump. The Reds have lost seven of 11 games to fall well off the pace in the National League Central. Pitching, by and large, has been the main problem - Cincinnati ranks fourth from the bottom in the National League with a 4.07 ERA and has yielded more home runs (118) than all but three teams in baseball.

ABOUT THE CUBS (49-65): Chicago's offense, which had shown a knack for leaving runners on base for much of the year, has been much better at finishing the job recently, scoring 45 runs during the team's current seven-game run. Shortstop Starlin Castro, who leads the club with a .313 batting average, has been on a tear, going 15-for-28 over the last six games. The pitching staff, which ranks at or near the bottom of the majors in almost every category, has delivered three quality starts in the last four days.

FINAL PITCH: Though Wells has had success against the Reds, opponents are hitting an amazing .301 against him this season - a figure that isn't likely to intimidate one of the league's most productive offenses.