Chicago (14-12), the two-time defending NL Central champion, opened the season by winning two of three against Houston (11-15) before doing the same in Milwaukee. After this brief series, the Cubs will travel to Miller Park for a weekend set.

Its season-opening swing remains one of the best stretches for Chicago, which had its four-game winning streak end with a 6-2 loss to San Francisco on Tuesday. The Cubs scored all their runs and managed just four hits in seven innings against reigning NL: Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.

With the Cubs playing a day game after a night game, manager Lou Piniella opted to rest two players who had started every game - left fielder Alfonso Soriano and shortstop Ryan Theriot - as well as right fielder Milton Bradley, catcher Geovany Soto and third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

Most of those players are expected to return to the lineup Wednesday.

"We're in a stretch of 20 straight games without a day off," Piniella said. "You've got to rest people."

It would probably be bad news for Houston if Soriano and Ramirez are back. Soriano went 5-for-15 with two solo homers in the season-opening series at Minute Maid Park while Ramirez was 6-for-14 with five RBIs.

First baseman Derrek Lee was 2-for-13 in that series. He continues to flounder on the road with four hits in 37 at-bats (.108).

The Astros are hoping Mike Hampton (1-2, 4.88 ERA) can give their overworked bullpen a rest. Their starters have failed to pitch past the fifth inning in five straight games, posting a 5.31 ERA with relievers putting up a 5.63 ERA over the last 24 innings.

Hampton will face the Cubs for the first time since Oct. 1, 2004 when he was with the Braves. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 4.35 ERA in his last seven starts against them.

Hampton is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in his last three outings. He lost Friday at Atlanta by giving up six runs over 4 1-3 innings in a 7-2 loss.

"I made some mistakes in crucial situations, and they took advantage of it," Hampton said.

The Astros return home after a 4-3 road trip that included Tuesday's game at Washington that was suspended with the score tied 10-10 in the 11th inning. Houston's bullpen was forced to log 5 1-3 innings.

"The last two games were just very ugly," Astros reliever LaTroy Hawkins said. "Just very, very ugly."

Tueday's game will be resumed July 9 in Houston with the Nationals as the home team.

Chicago's Rich Harden (2-1, 5.11) will return to the mound after a subpar outing. He gave up a season-high five runs over 3 2-3 innings Friday in an 8-6 home win over Florida.

Harden struck out two after recording 35 in his first four starts.

The right-hander has faced the Astros once in his career. Harden gave up five runs over 5 2-3 innings on Aug. 5, and did not get a decision in an 11-7 victory.