Los Angeles @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( May 18, 2010 ) Houston 3, LA Dodgers 7

The Los Angeles Dodgers have not started their longest road trip of the season on the right foot.

They're hoping Ted Lilly can help right the ship.

Lilly tries to help stop the Dodgers' five-game losing streak tonight as they take on the Houston Astros in the opener of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Los Angeles kicked off its season-high 10-game road trip at Petco Park on Monday against the San Diego Padres, who entered the three-game set on a 10-game slide. However, the Padres turned things around, winning all three contests – including Wednesday's 4-0 triumph in which they limited the Dodgers to three hits.

Being swept all but extinguished Los Angeles' slim hopes of reaching the postseason. The Dodgers fell 11 games behind both the Padres in the National League West and Atlanta in the wild-card race.

Having lost seven of its last eight games and nine of 11, Los Angeles hopes to get back on track behind Lilly, who is 0-1 in his last two starts after winning his first five outings as a Dodger.

Lilly allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings Saturday but did not figure in the decision of Los Angeles' 5-4 loss to San Francisco. It marked the ninth time in 10 starts he yielded fewer than four earned runs.

Lilly made two starts against the Astros this season while with the Chicago Cubs, going 0-0 while giving up just one earned run over 13 innings for a 0.69 ERA. In 12 career outings vs. Houston, the 34-year old is 7-1 with a 2.19 ERA.

The left-handed Lilly has pitched well at home as a Dodger, going 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in four starts at Dodger Stadium.

Houston enters the opener of its 10-game homestand having won two in a row and 13 of 14. Hunter Pence hit his 23rd home run Wednesday while Brett Myers and four relievers combined on a five-hit shutout in a 4-0 triumph over the Cubs.

The Astros, who have won four in a row at home, will send Bud Norris to the mound.

Norris has posted a 4-1 record in his last nine starts but is 0-1 with an 8.71 ERA over his last two outings, allowing 10 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings. The right-hander settled for a no-decision in Houston's 6-5 victory at Arizona on Saturday after surrendering five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 frames.

The 25-year old Norris made his only career start against the Dodgers on May 18, allowing six runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings en route to a 7-3 loss at Los Angeles.

In 11 outings at home this year, Norris is 3-4 with a 5.23 ERA.