Chicago @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2010 ) Houston 4, Chi. Cubs 0

The Chicago Cubs continue to look for a full-time manager for next season, but support for interim bench boss Mike Quade continues to spread as the Cubs open a three-game set against the Houston Astros on Friday.

Quade has lead Chicago to a 22-12 record since taking over from Lou Piniella in August. Chicago been linked to potential managers such as former Cub Ryne Sandberg, but Ryan Dempster asserted his confidence in Quade in a recent Chicago Tribune story, saying that Quade has the respect of the locker room and that he hoped the interim manager would be signed on as the team’s permanent bench boss.

Quade says he’ll lean heavily on some of the organization’s younger players in the final series of the season now that the team is up against another non-contender in the Houston Astros.

He was already without Geovany Soto and Tyler Colvin – both out with season-ending injuries – before learning that Kosuke Fukudome may miss the remainder of the campaign with a knee injury after sliding into third base awkwardly during Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to the San Diego Padres. Rookie Brad Snyder will take Fukudome’s spot in the outfield for Friday’s game.

The Cubs (73-86) send out another rookie in Casey Coleman (3-2, 5.68 ERA) as he climbs the hill for his eighth MLB start. Coleman got the nod for this final outing of the year over Jeff Samardzija, who was drilled for eight runs over 4 1/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Coleman has been praised for his poise on the mound all year and is coming off the longest outing of his MLB career, going seven innings in a 7-3 win over the Cardinals.

The Astros (75-84) counter with Bud Norris (9-9, 5.00 ERA), who had a three-game winning streak snapped the last time he took the mound, allowing five runs over 4 2/3 innings in a 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He gave up seven hits while striking out six and walking three on 89 pitches.

Houston, which was 3-7 over a 10-game road swing before heading home, likely won’t allow speedster Michael Bourn to take another at-bat this season. Bourn leads the NL with 52 stolen bases this season but has been out since Sept. 19 with an oblique strain.

Rookie Jason Bourgeois has filled in for him in the 10 games he has missed, but Houston hasn’t ruled out using Bourn as a pinch runner against Chicago.

The Cubs are 5-10 against the Astros this season, losing four of their last six games at Minute Maid Park.