Fresh off a series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros manager Brad Mills is hopeful that his team can keep things rolling when they open up a three-game set with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Monday evening.
The Astros will look to veteran right-hander Armando Galarraga in game one, as the recent addition will be making just his fourth start of 2012 in a Houston uniform. Galarraga currently sports a 4.70 earned-run average and has not lasted through the sixth inning in any of his outings thus far, and will be looking to get in the win column for the first time since April 19th of last season.
Facing the Astros will be hard-throwing Cubs righty Jeff Samardzija, who is tied for 13th in the National League with 130 strikeouts. Houston batters served the 27-year-old former Notre Dame football player a loss back in May during a previous meeting despite his recent success however, and will be looking for similar success to open up the three-game series.
Here are Monday's starting lineups:
Astros
1. Tyler Greene - SS
2. Jose Altuve - 2B
3. Brett Wallace - 1B
4. Steve Pearce - RF
5. Justin Maxwell - CF
6. Jason Castro - C
7. Marwin Gonzalez - 3B
8. Fernando Martinez - LF
9. Armando Galarraga - SP
Cubs
1. David DeJesus - RF
2. Josh Vitters - 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo - 1B
4. Alfonso Soriano - LF
5. Starlin Castro - SS
6. Welington Castillo - C
7. Brett Jackson - CF
8. Darwin Barney - 2B
9. Jeff Samardzija - SP
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