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Astros-Cubs Preview

Sep 6, 2010 - 2:00 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Houston (63-72) at Chicago (59-77), 2:20 p.m. EDT

The Houston Astros' pitching staff has led the way in one of the team's best stretches this season.

With a red-hot Wandy Rodriguez on the mound, the Astros hope to keep that momentum going in Monday's opener of a three-game road series against the Chicago Cubs, who could be without one of their top power threats.

A little more than two weeks ago, Houston (64-72) appeared a lock for its third losing season in four years, but 11 wins in the past 14 games have the Astros thinking about the possibility of a more respectable finish.

What Houston has done lately is post a 1.94 ERA over its last 14 games, including Sunday's 3-2 victory at Arizona. Hunter Pence gave his team the lead for good with a first-inning home run, and the Astros allowed only a pair of solo shots from there.

Matt Lindstrom and Brandon Lyon combined to give up one hit and one walk over the final two innings, lowering the Astros' bullpen ERA to 0.69 ERA during its current run.

With Rodriguez starting, the team's relievers might not get much work against the Cubs (59-78). The left-hander has lasted at least six innings in 13 consecutive starts, going 8-2 with a 1.65 ERA over that span.

Rodriguez (11-12, 3.71 ERA) outdueled former Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter on Tuesday by yielding two hits over seven innings in a 3-0 win against St. Louis.

"Wandy did well tonight," manager Brad Mills said. "He's been throwing the ball extremely well for the last 2 1/2, three months, mixing his pitches extremely well and getting ahead of the hitters."

Rodriguez won at Wrigley Field on July 19 despite allowing five runs over six innings, but he's 3-0 with a 2.76 ERA in his last nine matchups with Chicago.

This time, he'll face a team that's 8-4 under interim manager Mike Quade and was 4-1 on its nine-game homestand before Sunday's 18-5 loss to the Mets.

"Effort is what I'm looking for, and they seem to be having fun, and that should result in us having a good finish," Quade told the team's website.

Long before the game got out of hand, Aramis Ramirez gave the Cubs a brief lead with a two-run homer after singling in a run earlier in the game. The third baseman, however, also exited before the ninth inning with a strained right quad and is day to day.

Ramirez has batted .339 over his last 16 games and hit five of his 22 home runs, tying him with Alfonso Soriano for the team lead. He's took over the RBI lead from Soriano with his 73rd on Sunday and is 10 for 34 with one home run against Rodriguez.

Also swinging a hot bat for the Cubs is Xavier Nady, hitting .386 in the past 12 games.

Rookie Casey Coleman (1-1, 5.76) will face the Astros for the first time. The right-hander registered his first career victory Aug. 23 in Washington but did not get a decision in a 7-5 loss at Cincinnati on Aug. 29, allowing four runs and eight hits over six innings.

The Astros are 8-4 overall against the Cubs this season and 4-2 at Wrigley.