• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Lilly, Cubs look to edge closer to first place, face Astros

Jul 14, 2007 - 1:47 PM Houston (39-51) at Chicago Cubs (45-43) 3:55 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs look to Ted Lilly to keep them within striking distance of first place.

Lilly and the Cubs aim to win their third straight home series when they face the Houston Astros on Saturday.

Fellow Chicago starter Carlos Zambrano yielded just three hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 6-0 shutout over Houston on Friday. The victory helped the Cubs close to within 3 1/2 games of National League Central-leading Milwaukee, who lost to the Colorado Rockies.

Lilly (8-4, 3.67 ERA) looks to win his fifth straight decision after surrendering only a run and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings in a 7-1 victory vs. Pittsburgh last Saturday. The 31-year-old lefthander, who is 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA in his last five starts, is 0-1 in two career outings vs. Houston.

The Astros counter with All-Star Roy Oswalt (8-5, 3.53), who did not participate in Tuesday's MidSummer Classic.

Oswalt is 10-9 in his career vs. Chicago, but was just 1-3 vs. the Cubs last season.

The 29-year-old righthander allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings in an 8-3 win over the New York Mets in his last outing on Sunday.

Houston has lost four of its last six games.