8/20 Rusin ready to go

Chris Rusin may have had the easiest travel of the other young Cubs starters. The left-hander, who will make his Major League debut on Tuesday against the Brewers, caught an 8 a.m. flight Monday from Des Moines to Milwaukee, and headed straight for Miller Park.

“It’s a dream come true — I’ve dreamed about this as a little kid and it finally happened,” said Rusin, who will be officially added to the roster on Tuesday.

The Cubs’ fourth-round pick in 2009, Rusin was 8-8 with a 4.59 ERA in 24 starts at Iowa, striking out 87 over 133 1/3 innings. He got off to a solid start, posting a 2.63 ERA in his first five games, but struggled in June. He’s rebounded, and in his last three starts, Rusin has given up four earned runs over 18 2/3 innings. His last outing was Aug. 15 against Tucson, and he threw six shutout innings, giving up four hits in the win.

“It’s no different than pitching in Triple-A,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “You still have to make your pitches.”

Rusin, 25, will likely be backed up by several of his former Iowa teammates, who have been promoted already to the big league team.

“You see people going in and out, and people moving up and down,” he said. “It’s all about timing, I think. When you get your chance, make the most of it, and that’s what I’m going to try to do tomorrow.”

– Carrie Muskat