Astros-Cubs Preview

With three former All-Stars around him, Kosuke Fukudome wasn't expected to carry the Chicago Cubs' offense. So far he's doing just that -- and waiting for anyone else to follow his lead.

The Cubs will try to get their slumping bats untracked on Saturday when they continue a three-game set against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.

Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez have made a combined nine All-Star appearances -- Soriano and Lee played in last year's Midsummer Classic -- and the trio combined to hit .309 in 2007.

But Chicago's three big bats have struggled thus far in 2008. While Fukudome is batting 6-for-12, Soriano, Lee and Ramirez are hitting a combined .148 (7-for-48) through four games, and the Cubs (1-3) have scored three runs or fewer in each of their losses.

Fukudome had two more hits on Friday, while Soriano, Lee and Ramirez went a combined 2-for-12 as Houston (2-3) took the series opener 4-3.

Things wouldn't seem to get easier on Saturday as two-time 20-game winner Roy Oswalt (0-1, 5.06 ERA) takes the hill for the Astros.

Oswalt made his team-record sixth straight opening day start for Houston on Monday, but gave up three runs on 11 hits in just 5 1-3 innings in the team's 4-0 loss at San Diego.

"I didn't really have a whole lot (in the opener)," said Oswalt, who threw 114 pitches. "I didn't have any breaking pitches. Pretty much had to pitch my fastball the whole night."

Oswalt hasn't had a lot of success pitching at Wrigley Field. He's 5-4 there lifetime, but with a 5.28 ERA. Oswalt gave up eight earned runs on 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings during his last visit to Chicago, a 9-3 Cubs win on July 14.

Soriano and Ramirez combined for five hits and seven RBI in that game.

The Astros' offense has struggled even more than the Cubs' through their first five games, as they're hitting just .194 collectively. They only had five hits on Friday, but made them count. Rookie catcher J.R. Towles hit a two-run home run, and offseason acquisition Miguel Tejada had his best game to date, collecting two hits and driving in the go-ahead run with a triple in the eighth.

"I was thinking, 'Man this is pretty cool to be at Wrigley," Towles said. "I thought it would be pretty cool if I hit a home run, but I didn't think that would be happening today."

Jason Marquis (12-9, 4.60 ERA last season) will get the ball for the Cubs on Saturday. The veteran right-hander was named the team's fifth starter near the end of spring training after proclaiming earlier in March that he'd like to be traded if he was sent to the bullpen.

"I've always considered myself a starter," Marquis said. "That's where I'm best suited. I worked my butt off physically, mentally, all year to do this."

Marquis made four starts against the Astros last season -- his first in Chicago -- and went 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA.

Lance Berkman is hitting .250 with one homer and three RBI through five games, but he's never had a problem against Marquis. Berkman is batting .514 with 13 RBI lifetime against him, the highest average for any player with at least 20 at-bats against Marquis.