Astros, Cubs play makeup game at Wrigley

Baseball Betting Lines

06/11/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros and the Cubs will take a break from interleague play tonight, as the two clubs will stop in Chicago to make up a postponed game at Wrigley Field.

The two clubs were supposed to wrap a three-game set on April 11, but the game was postponed due to snow and rain. Houston took the first two games of that set in mid-April to snap a four-game losing streak to the Cubs, who won eight of 15 versus the Astros in 2006.

The Cubs have yet to begin the second stage of their interleague schedule, as they played the Atlanta Braves over the weekend. Chicago took the first two contests of the four-game set before dropping the final two, including Sunday's 5-4 loss.

The series got testy on Saturday, when Atlanta starter Tim Hudson hit Alfonso Soriano in the first inning. Soriano had homered three times the day before versus Atlanta.

Chicago's Sunday starter, Ted Lilly, then hit Edgar Renteria in the first inning yesterday, and was warned by home plate umpire Jim Wolf as the benches began to empty. No punches were thrown, but Wolf decided to eject Lilly after all.

The Cubs' bullpen did the best it could, but Ryan Dempster (1-3) gave up three runs in an inning of relief to take the loss. Michael Barrett and Mike Fontenot homered for the Cubs, who have dropped two straight after winning five of six. Chicago is six games back of Milwaukee in the NL Central, and will host Seattle on Tuesday to continue what is now a seven-game homestand.

Chicago remained without Aramis Ramirez, who is sidelined with left patella tendinitis, though the slugging third baseman was available to pinch-hit.

Carlos Zambrano will try to follow up on an excellent outing last time out. In his first start since his dugout incident with Barrett, Zambrano allowed two runs on five hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings against the Brewers on Wednesday. He also struck out nine in the 6-2 victory that improved the right- hander to 6-5 on the year with a 5.38 earned run average.

Barrett did not catch Zambrano last week, and is not expected to do so tonight either.

Zambrano, who has alternated wins and loses over his last seven starts, is 8-5 in 19 games (17 starts) versus the Astros with a 2.57 ERA.

Woody Williams will try to get back on track when he starts against the Cubs tonight. Williams pitched well to close out May, besting the Reds 10-2, but was then pummeled at Colorado on Wednesday. The right-hander was tagged for six runs on 10 hits over six innings in an 8-7 loss to the Rockies, falling to 2-8 on the year with a 5.79 ERA.

Williams, who has lost three of his last four starts, is 3-8 in 17 games (16 starts) against the Cubs with a 4.55 ERA.

Houston fell to 3-3 on what is now a seven-game road trip with Sunday's 6-3 loss to the White Sox. Mark Lamb hit a solo homer for Houston, which had its brief two-game winning streak snapped.

Wandy Rodriguez (3-6) was ineffective in the loss, giving up five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits. He struck out three and walked one for Houston, which is 7 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central. The club next hosts Oakland.

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