Houston @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2010 ) Houston 4, Chi. Cubs 5
The friendly confines of Wrigley Field have been a little friendlier of late to the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs will look to keep to good vibes at home going as they head into Tuesday’s matchup with the Houston Astros.
Geovany Soto helped the Cubs (60-78) to their fifth win in the seven games they’ve played on their current homestand with an eighth-inning homer that lifted Chicago to a 5-4 triumph over Houston on Monday.
The homer, which ended up on Waveland Avenue, was his 17th of the year and the second for the Chicago catcher in as many days. Soto has feasted on Houston pitching all season, hitting .423 with three home runs and eight RBIs in eight games against the Astros this year.
This modest winning streak at home is a long time coming for Cubs fans. Chicago heads into Tuesday’s game with a 33-40 record at Wrigley Field.
The home fans will have reason to cheer as they welcome back Carlos Silva (10-5, 3.92 ERA).
Silva will make his first start in five weeks after he left in the first inning of a Aug. 1 game against the Colorado Rockies with an abnormal heart rate. He underwent a procedure to stabilize his heart rate a week later and hasn’t reported any problems since.
Silva started the season by winning a team-record eight straight decisions and held his opposition to three or fewer runs in 14 of his first 16 starts.
The hurler won just one of his last four starts before going on the disabled list, but looks to get back on track now that his health concerns are behind him.
The 6-foot-4 right-hander is 3-1 with a 4.63 ERA lifetime against the Houston Astros (64-73).
Houston counters with Nelson Figueroa (4-2, 2.83 ERA), who has fit right in after joining the starting rotation from the bullpen. He is 1-1 with a 1.96 ERA as a starter and is coming off a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings of work.
Houston heads into this game having won 11 of its last 15, with Hunter Pence playing a big role in the recent surge. The outfielder is hitting .333 with four home runs and 14 RBIs over that stretch. Pence leads the team with 22 home runs and a .290 batting average this season.
Chicago has scored at least five runs in each of its last eight games, but could be without slugger Aramis Ramirez on Tuesday. He’s listed as day-to-day after straining his quad over the weekend.
Ramirez leads the Cubs with 73 RBIs and is tied with Alfonso Soriano for the team lead in home runs with 22.