(Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs will try to stop a two-game slide when they open a three-game series this afternoon versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at legendary Wrigley Field.

Chicago will also host Colorado for four games on the current homestand and just went 2-4 on a six-game road trip through Houston and Pittsburgh. The Cubs won the first game with Houston at Minute Maid Park before losing the last two installments, then did the same thing at Pittsburgh's PNC Park over the weekend.

In a 6-5loss in 11 innings on Sunday, Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer and Aramis Ramirez added two hits and two RBI for the Cubs. Starter Ted Lilly gave up four runs on 10 hits, including three home runs. The veteran left-hander struck out two and walked a pair of batters as well. Relief pitcher Jon Lieber surrendered the game-winning hit to Jason Bay in the 11th to absorb the loss.

The Cubs will send Ryan Dempster to the mound on Monday, and he is 5-2 with a 2.70 earned run average in 10 starts this season. Dempster is 1-2 with a 2.05 ERA over his last four outings, and lost his previous trip to the hill on May 20 against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. He yielded four runs and six hits in six frames during a 4-2 loss. Dempster threw 8 1/3 shutout innings in a 4-0 triumph versus San Diego five days prior to losing at Houston.

Dempster, a right-hander, is 3-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 17 career games (seven starts) against the Dodgers.

Los Angeles will hit the road for seven games against the Cubs and Mets, and completed a six-game homestand with a 4-2 record. The Dodgers salvaged the finale of a three-game series versus the St. Louis Cardinals with a 4-3 victory in extra innings on Sunday at Chavez Ravine, as Andre Ethier's RBI single in the 10th frame lifted LA.

Takashi Saito, who struck out five in two scoreless innings of relief, recorded the win. Dodgers left-handed phenom Clayton Kershaw, a first-round pick in 2006, made his first career start in the majors and held the Cardinals to five hits and two runs over six frames.

Russell Martin went 2-for-4 and knocked in two runs, while Luis Maza homered in a winning effort.

The Dodgers will hand the ball to Chad Billingsley today, and he is 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA over his last five starts. Billingsley has won back-to-back trips to the rubber, including a May 20 performance against Cincinnati. The righty hurled seven shutout innings of four-hit ball in a 4-1 win.

Billingsley, who is 4-5 with a 3.76 earned run average in 11 games (nine starts) this season, owns a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA in two relief appearances against the Cubs.

Los Angeles went 5-2 against Chicago last season, with a 3-1 mark at Wrigley Field. The Cubs are 10-9 over the past 19 matchups in this series.