Houston @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2012 ) Houston 2, Chi. Cubs 3

Chicago posted a 4-0 victory in Friday’s series opener and rode Anthony Rizzo’s two-run homer to a 3-2 triumph Saturday, the Cubs’ fourth win in five games. The Cubs are still at the bottom of the National League Central, but have climbed to within 3 1/2 games of the fifth-place Astros. The home team has won all five meetings this year, with Houston posting a three-game sweep in late May.

The Astros are 9-27 in away games this season, the worst road mark in the major leagues. Much of the trouble can be traced to the pitching staff, which owns the third-highest ERA in the National League. Of course, one of the two teams below them is the Cubs, who rank near the bottom of the NL in nearly every major pitching and hitting category.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FS Houston, CS Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Wandy Rodriguez (6-5, 3.52 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Travis Wood (2-3, 3.54)

Again one of the hottest arms on the trade market, Rodriguez got off to an excellent start before cooling off in the last month. In his last six starts, he has allowed 29 runs (24 earned) on 48 hits in 35 innings. Rodriguez, who is 6-6 with a 3.84 ERA in 20 career outings against the Cubs, was a winner against Chicago on May 23 (seven innings, eight hits, one run, five strikeouts).

Wood has been more than serviceable as a rotation fill-in, particularly in winning his last two starts. He tossed seven scoreless innings in a June 25 win over the New York Mets, giving up five hits and a walk while striking out six. In six lifetime starts against the Astros, Wood is 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA. One of the losses came at Houston on May 22 (5 2/3 innings, two hits, two runs, two walks, three strikeouts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano is 4-for-38 (.105) with 12 strikeouts against Rodriguez, while Jeff Baker is 10-for-23 (.435) with five doubles.

2. Houston hitters are a combined 11-for-55 (.200) against Wood, with Carlos Lee and Chris Johnson (each 2-for-12) accounting for a large portion of the at-bats.

3. Chicago closer Carlos Marmol is 5-for-5 in save opportunities since reclaiming his job in mid-June. He finished off each of the first two games of the series.