Good to see Ryan Dempster back ready to go. He had no problems testing out his big toe and is back off the disabled list just a week over the minimum. He was sitting with Ted Lilly, who just elected to have arthroscopic knee surgery while hitting the DL for his shoulder, in the clubhouse before batting practice today.

Fukudome, CF
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Bradley, RF
Soriano, LF
Fontenot, 2B
Hill, C
Dempster, RHP

Right-hander Roy Oswalt (6-4, 3.66 ERA) pitches for the Astros.

Between the lines

How great a job did Jake Fox do yesterday in emergency work behind the plate? Lou spoke highly of him afterward, especially his leaping catch of a Jeff Samardzija’s sailing fastball.

Did you notice Fox’s pitch calling while facing Ivan Rodriguez with two outs and a runner on third in the top of the 10th? After a 1-0 curveball was fouled into the dirt (with Fox plunging to his knees to block it in case Rodriguez didn’t make contact), Lou signaled from the dugout with his hand to just throw fastballs, the same way a pitcher does in warmups. Lou didn’t want a wild pitch to allow the runner home. Sure enough, Fox called for fastballs over the next two pitches, and Rodriguez went chasing for a strikeout.

 You can tell that Cubs fans have begun anticipating something special happening every time D-Lee comes to the plate. Our August Vine Line cover player smacked his 20th home run last night, and he drew the leadoff walk in the bottom of the 13th, his fifth time on base in the game.

— Sean Ahmed