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Ohlendorf fields a comebacker in the fourth

Tuesday's Cubs-Padres game will be a memorable one for Chicago's Brooks Raley, no matter the outcome, as the organization's July Pitcher of the Month is set to make his Major League debut.

The 24-year-old left-hander, who is replacing the injured Matt Garza, will face the Padres' Ross Ohlendorf in the second game of the three-game series as the Cubs try to snap a six-game losing streak.

"He's a guy who can pitch in and out, [throws a] cutter, two-seamer, four-seamer, nothing overpowering," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "He's not going to probably strike a lot of guys out. He's going to pitch to contact.

"His command is pretty good, his mound presence is outstanding. His breaking ball [is good], he has a plus changeup. He's a lot like Travis Wood with a breaking ball [that is] a work in progress."

While Raley makes his debut, the six-year veteran Ohlendorf takes the mound on the day before his 30th birthday. He enters the game with a 6.07 ERA in six starts this season, including a 1 2/3 inning-outing in which he gave up six runs against the Reds his last time out.

"I wasn't pitching as well as I can, but they also did a really good job hitting," Ohlendorf said. "I made a couple two-strike pitches that were a little too hittable. Then later in the inning, I wasn't throwing enough strikes. They did a really good job hitting. Luckily our bullpen did a really good job to kind of minimize the impact."

Padres: Middle of lineup heating up
The Padres' 3-4-5 hitters have emerged as a productive trio as of late, with Chase Headley, Carlos Quentin and Yonder Alonso gelling together in the heart of the lineup.

After each of them homered and drove in two runs on Sunday, Alonso singled home Quentin in the fourth inning of Monday's 2-0 win.

The recent production comes after Quentin's injuries and Alonso's emergence as one of the league's most promising rookie hitters.

"Players are linked together based on what they can do. ... You don't want to pitch around Chase to get to 'Q', and I think Alonso does a nice job with the way he's swinging now to ensure that 'Q' gets his pitches, too," Padres manager Bud Black said. "They all make our lineup look a lot better than it did six weeks ago."

Cubs: LaHair odd man out again
With the arrival of Brett Jackson, Bryan LaHair will take a backseat to a promising young player for the second time this season Previously, the All-Star moved to the outfield to make room at first base for Anthony Rizzo on June 26, and now Jackson has taken LaHair's spot in the outfield.

"It's going to be tough getting playing time," Sveum said. "Unfortunately, these things happened to him twice with our two biggest prospects coming up in the same season and him getting bumped from a position."

Worth noting
• Ohlendorf's sole win against the Cubs in five career starts came on June 30, 2009, when he threw seven shutout innings as a member of the Pirates. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA against them.

• The Cubs are now 8-12 against the National League West this season, with all eight wins coming at home and 11 of the 12 losses coming on the road.

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