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Jul 26, 2010 - 5:24 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (45-54) at Houston (40-58), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Carlos Silva has gone from pitching like the Chicago Cubs' best starter to their worst in just two outings.

Silva, who was pounded by the Astros last week in his second consecutive miserable performance, again tries to bounce back when he takes the ball for the Cubs in Monday night's series opener in Houston.

Chicago (45-54) won 10 of Silva's first 11 starts and the right-hander moved to 9-2 with a 2.96 ERA with a win over Arizona on July 6. His ERA has jumped nearly a full run in two disastrous outings since.

Silva (9-4, 3.86 ERA) was ejected for arguing a call with one out in the second inning after yielding six runs in a 7-0 loss to the Dodgers on July 11. Things were just as bad last Monday against the Astros, when he was tagged for five runs and seven hits in one inning in an 11-5 loss.

It's a puzzling slump for Silva, who had allowed three runs or fewer in each of his previous 10 outings and had pitched at least five innings in each of his first 16 starts.

"I don't know if (the Cubs) have concerns," Silva told the Cubs' official website. "I don't. I'm still human. I felt very good. I'll just get ready for the next game."

Silva fared much better in his first start of the season against Houston on April 16, giving up two unearned runs and five hits in seven innings of a 7-2 victory.

After dropping two of three to the Astros (40-58) last week, the Cubs took two of three from NL Central-leading St. Louis over the weekend. Chicago had several opportunities to complete the sweep, but left nine runners on base and went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position in Sunday's 4-3, 11-inning loss.

The Astros avoided a three-game sweep with Sunday's 4-0 win over Cincinnati.

Chris Johnson hit his third homer of the season after hitting his first two and driving in five runs at Wrigley Field last week.

Wesley Wright (0-0, 4.40) made his first career start on Chicago's North Side last week and is set to take the ball in the opener.

Wright, who made his first six appearances of the season out of the bullpen, was cruising against the Cubs on Tuesday, allowing one run through four innings before unraveling behind an error in the fifth. He allowed five runs - all unearned - before being lifted with two outs in the fifth of a 14-7 loss.

"I wish I would have been able to get out of that inning," the left-hander said. "I didn't. It's a learning experience."

Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez homered twice off Wright last week and is batting .333 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in nine games against the Astros this season. Despite Ramirez's production, the Cubs are 3-6 against Houston.