Hot day in Chicago. Here's a preview of the game:

RED SOX (31-33)
Podsednik LF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz 1B
Saltalamacchia C
Middlebrooks 3B
Gonzalez RF
Sweeney CF
Aviles SS
Pitching: LHP Jon Lester (3-4, 4.57)

CUBS (22-42)
Johnson RF
Barney 2B
Castro SS
Soriano LF
Baker 1B
Mather CF
Castillo C
Valbuena 3B
Pitching: RHP Jeff Samardzija (5-4, 3.96)

Game time: 7:15 p.m.

TV/Radio: FOX / WEEI

Cubs vs. Lester: DeJesus 1-15, Johnson 2-6, Soriano 3-6, Baker 4-4, Barney 1-4, Castro 0-4, LaHair 0-2, Valbuena 0-2.

Red Sox vs. Samardzija: Punto 1-1, Youkilis 0-2, Gonzalez 1-1, McDonald 0-1, Ortiz 1-1, Pedroia 0-1, Salty 0-0 (with a walk).

Stat of the Day: The Red Sox bullpen has allowed two earned runs over 18.2 innings in the last eight games while striking out 18.

Notes: Lester has faced the Cubs once, last May 20. He allowed a career-worst 12 hits (over six innings) but won the game as the Sox scored 15 runs. ... Samardzija pitched in that game, allowing five runs (three earned) in an innings. ... Podsednik is 9 of 22 in his last five games. ... The Sox are 7.5 games out of first, matching their biggest deficit of the season. They have lost five of seven and eight of 11.

Song of the Day: "Helplessly Hoping" by Crosby, Stills & Nash.