MLB team The Houston Astros hope a few days off because of Hurricane Ike won't spoil their momentum, as they finally kick off this series with the Chicago Cubs MLB team at Milwaukee's Miller Park.
The series was scheduled to begin Friday, but with Hurricane Ike bearing down in Texas the first two games of this set were postponed. Houston's Minute Maid Park made it through the storm even though it was decided to move the series to Milwaukee. The Astros will serve as the home MLB team and both clubs will play on Monday as well. The third installment will be played September 29 in Houston, if need be.

Houston has ripped off six straight wins and is 14-1 over its last 15 contests to pull within 2 1/2 games of the Brewers for the top spot in the NL Wild Card standings. All team sports information reports that Philadelphia is in the middle at two games off the pace. The Astros recently swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in four games and will hand the ball to Randy Wolf on Sunday versus the Cubs.

Wolf is 10-11 with a 4.45 earned run average, has won two straight starts and is unbeaten over his previous four outings - all Houston victories. Wolf beat the Pirates on September 9 in a 9-3 triumph at home, allowing three runs in seven innings.

The lefty is 3-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 14 career starts against Chicago.

The National League Central-leading Cubs are six games ahead of Milwaukee and 8 1/2 games in front of Houston in the division standings. They have won two straight and three of five games to close in on their second straight division title.

Carlos Zambrano will toe the rubber for Chicago on Sunday and is 13-5 with a 3.58 earned run average this season. Zambrano is only 1-1 with consecutive no- decisions through his past six starts, but the Cubs MLB team are 4-2 in that stretch. He last took the ball on September 2 versus Houston, allowing three runs in five innings of his team's 9-7 loss.

The fiery right-hander is 11-7 with a 2.85 ERA in 25 lifetime meetings (23 starts) with the division-foe Astros.

Houston is 9-6 versus Chicago MLB team this season, with a 4-2 record as the host. The Astros recently swept a three-game series with the Cubs from September 1-3 at Wrigley Field.