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Astros-Cubs Preview

Jul 21, 2010 - 6:10 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Houston (38-56) at Chicago (43-52), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Chicago is now closer to last place in the NL Central than they are to first. If the Cubs' poor play within the division continues, their position won't get any better.

The Cubs look to avoid their first four-game home losing streak to the lowly Houston Astros in nearly nine years as the teams play the middle game of their series Tuesday night.

With two losses in three games, Chicago (42-52) has fallen 10 1/2 games behind first-place St. Louis. The Cubs are nine games ahead of last-place Pittsburgh and 3 1/2 ahead of Houston (38-55).

Chicago has a division-worst 15-26 record against the NL Central, including 2-5 against Houston. An 11-5 loss Monday night was the Cubs' third straight against the Astros at Wrigley Field.

Chicago hasn't lost four in a row at home versus Houston since an eight-game skid from 2000-01.

The Astros have scored the second-fewest runs in the NL (329), but they have crossed the plate 22 times in their last three games against the Cubs. Houston's 17 hits in this series' opener are the most against Chicago pitching in a single game this year.

Ryan Dempster (8-7, 3.57 ERA) will now take the mound for the Cubs. He is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two outings versus the Astros this season, but 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA in 20 starts against them lifetime.

Dempster has struck out 15 in 11 2-3 innings en route to winning his last two starts overall. The veteran right-hander gave up two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 12-6 victory over Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Houston will counter with Wesley Wright (0-0, 5.59), who will be recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to make his first major league start. Wright, who made six appearances with the Astros before being sent down June 22, is taking over for the injured Felipe Paulino (shoulder).

The 25-year-old Wright is 4-0 with a 4.18 ERA in 13 starts for Round Rock this season.

Following one of its best games of the season, the Astros' lineup hopes to give Wright some support. Houston set season highs in hits and runs after being shut out by Pittsburgh the previous day.

"The talent is there," said manager Brad Mills, who moved Jeff Keppinger into the sixth spot in an attempt to strengthen the bottom portion of the lineup. "It was going to come out at some point."

Keppinger, who scored a season-best three runs, is hitting .346 (9 for 26) in seven games against the Cubs this season.

Chris Johnson fell a double short of the cycle for the Astros, hitting his first major league homer. The third baseman is hitting .324 with seven doubles and 11 RBIs in 20 games since being recalled from Round Rock.

Houston All-Star center fielder Michael Bourn added two hits, giving him seven in his last 17 at-bats against Chicago. Bourn entered the series in a 6-for-42 (.143) slump.