The Houston Astros visit the Chicago Cubs on Friday for the first game of their series. The game starts at 2:20 p.m. ET. You can listen to the audio or watch the live stream HERE.
Houston (28-46) is in last place in the AL West and holds the league's worst record, according to the Associated Press. But they go into Wrigley Stadium having won six of their last eight games, giving the club confidence. Astros slugger Carlos Pena helped his team to a 7-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday with a three-run homer in the 10th inning.
"What a great homestand. I thought we were in every single game. This is a lot of momentum moving forward," Pena told reporters.
Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel (4-3, 4.23 ERA) will take the mound on Friday. He's 3-1 with a 2.13 ERA in his last four starts. Keuchel gave up only two runs over 6 1/3 innings on Sunday, helping his team to a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox.
"All you can ask of your guys is consistency, and no doubt that Dallas had given us that more than anybody in the rotation, even when we've been pitching so good lately," Houston manager Bo Porter told the team's website. "He's figured out how to get guys out with all of his pitches."
Pitcher Matt Garza (1-1, 4.98) will get the start for Chicago. Garza gave up only two runs over 5 1/3 innings to beat the Astros at home last June. Before that, Garza went 0-3 with a 4.64 ERA in his first five games against Houston.
He takes the mound after pitching seven scoreless innings on Sunday against the New York Mets, bouncing back from allowing a career-worst nine runs in five innings on June 11, losing 2-12 to the Cincinnati Reds.
