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Astros aim to build a winning streak against Cubs

May 31, 2011 - 3:04 PM (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros have posted multiple victories on only three occasions this season and look to make it a fourth when they resume a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs tonight at Wrigley Field.

Houston ended a three-game slide with Monday's series-opening 12-7 win in the Windy City thanks to four home runs and a 16-hit attack. Jeff Keppinger put the game away with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning, while Clint Barmes hit a two-run shot and both Hunter Pence and J.R. Towles added solo blasts for the Astros in the opener of a seven-game road trip.

Keppinger collected four RBI and Pence finished 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and four runs scored. Michael Bourn got into the act with three hits and three runs scored for Houston, which won two straight from April 19-20 and May 22-23 and a season-high three in a row from April 30-May 3 this season.

"We're competitors," said Pence, who is hitting .435 with two homers and nine RBI during an 11-game hit streak. "We've got to have relentless persistence. Where we're at is not a good spot to be. We've had some tough losses and it hasn't been good, but as competitors and professionals, we've got to fight, claw and scratch every single day. We need to do this more often. That's the bottom line."

Aneury Rodriguez drew the start for Houston and did not record a decision after he was reached for six runs -- four earned -- and seven hits in four innings of work. Sergio Escalona earned the win with a scoreless fifth inning for a Houston club that will also visit San Diego for four games.

With Astros left-hander Wandy Rodriguez on the disabled list with a balky elbow, Jordan Lyles will make his major league debut tonight in the middle contest of this set. Lyles, 20, went 3-3 with a 3.20 earned run average in 10 starts this season with Triple-A Oklahoma City before his promotion.

"As a little kid, I always wanted to play in the Majors," Lyles said on Houston's website. "I never thought I'd pitch in the big leagues at 20 years old, but that will come Tuesday."

That time has come for the young right-hander, who gets an immediate taste of NL Central action against the rival Cubs. Lyles was the 38th overall pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft and lost out on a chance for the fifth spot in the rotation to Nelson Figueroa. Catcher Jason Castro will be transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Lyles.

Chicago has lost three of four games and fell to 3-4 on a nine-game homestand with Monday's loss. Rodrigo Lopez made his 2011 debut for the Cubs and was roughed up for six runs on 10 hits in only 4 2/3 innings for the no-decision. Lopez was traded to Chicago from Atlanta last week.

"Well, I'm not satisfied," said Lopez. "I think I let the team down. You know, I got a lot of run support from the team."

Former Notre Dame football star Jeff Samardzija absorbed the loss for permitting two runs on two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Scott Maine did no better by allowing three more runs in the ninth.

Carlos Pena hit a two-run homer and finished with three RBI, while Blake DeWitt registered three hits and knocked in a run in defeat. The Cubs are a banged-up bunch right now and placed Jeff Baker on the disabled list with a strained groin before yesterday's game. Reed Johnson and Marlon Byrd are already on the DL and slugger Alfonso Soriano left Monday's game after straining his left quadriceps in the first inning. Soriano could miss tonight's game.

"It's unfortunate to see Sori go down like that," said Blake DeWitt, who took over for Soriano in the field. "I haven't heard anything, but hopefully he's all right. He's a big part of this team. It's a tough loss today."

Getting the call for the Cubs tonight will be veteran Carlos Zambrano, who is aiming to win back-to-back home starts for the first time since Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2010. Zambrano is 1-1 in five starts at Wrigley this season and last pitched there in a 9-3 win over the New York Mets on Thursday.

Big Z held the Mets to a pair of runs -- one earned -- and six hits in six innings to improve to 5-2 in 11 starts to go along with a pedestrian 4.59 earned run average. Zambrano notched his first home win since Sept. 4 and went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored at the plate.

The fiery right-hander defeated Houston on April 13 this season in a 9-5 win despite yielding all five runs over 5 2/3 frames. Zambrano is 15-8 with a 2.78 ERA in 32 career games (30 starts) against the Astros and is 4-0 with a 1.51 ERA during a four-game home winning streak in this series, dating back to July 20 of the 2006 campaign.

The Cubs took two of three meetings with Houston from April 11-13 this season at Minute Maid Park. The Astros went 11-7 in last year's series with the Cubs.