We’re gonna switch things up a lil’ bit starting with this series here on the Pinkie. Instead of game-by-game recaps, we are going to preview and recap each series.

The Cubs have rebounded slightly following their mid-May swoon/8-game losing streak. Chicago took 2-of-3 from the Pirates and then split a four game series with the NL’s best team record wise, the LA Dodgers and now stand at 25-24 entering the month of June.

The Braves, at 25-25, enter June just four games back of the first place Phillies. Let’s take a quick look at their lineup, and then onto the pitching matchups.

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Wow. After looking at that lineup, this team might actually be worse offensively than the Cubs have over the past two weeks. And with McCann, Jones, Escobar and Schafer all battling injuries/mental fatigue of some sort, also look for David Ross, Martin Prado and Matt Diaz to see some playing time in the series.

Mmmm feed trough! Oink! Oink!

Game 1 – 7:00 pm EST, TV – WGN

Randy Wells (0-2, 1.80) vs. Kenshin Kawakami (3-6, 4.73)

This start was supposed to go to Carlos Zambrano, but since he is serving a six-game suspension for his outburst against Pirates, Randy Wells gets to try again for his first Major League win, despite having a miniscule 1.80 ERA in his first three (all quality) starts. In his last outing Thursday against the Dodgers, he gave up two runs on eight hits over seven innings and struck out seven. He threw 111 pitches, 70 for strikes.

The Braves counter with 33-year old rookie Kenshin Kawakami, who has registered a decision in all nine games he has started in his Major League career. Kawakami has had control issues and with just an average fastball and a focus on throwing strikes, if the Cubs lineup can be aggressive (and Lord knows if you’ve watched them at all lately they can be) they should be able to touch up the Braves 3-year, $23 million dollar Japanese import early and often.

Game 2 – 7:00 pm EST, TV – CSN

Ted Lilly (6-4, 3.50) vs. Derek Lowe (6-3, 3.49)

Lilly, still the Cubs best pitcher as he has been since the 2008 All-Star break leads the Cubs in wins (six) and quality starts (seven). He outdueled Chad Billingsley in his last start. He is a bulldog.

Lowe has been nothing short of impressive since coming over to Atlanta from the aforementioned Dodgers in the offseason. However this past Thursday against the Diamondbacks Lowe was torched for a season-high 10 hits in seven innings in the loss. He was charged with five runs, but only three earned. He still has pitched at least seven innings in four of his last seven starts and he still ranks among the league leaders in wins, innings pitched and games started.

Game 3 – 7:00 pm EST, TV – CSN/MLBN

Carlos Zambrano (3-2, 4.22) vs. Jair Jurrjens (5-2, 2.59)

Z returns from his six-game suspension still just one win away from No. 100 in his career and needs four K’s to tie Bill Hutchinson for sixth on the Cubs’ all-time strikeout list. Before he was ejected from his last start, Zambrano gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 shaky innings against the Pirates.

Jurrjens has been awesome since coming over from Detroit. He pitched 188 1/3 innings going 13-10 with a 3.68 ERA in his rookie campaign and is 5-2 with a 2.59 ERA thus far in 66 innings in 2009.