[Alex:] The Cubs' brutal part of their season schedule continues, with Chicago playing host to the Suddenly Beltranned Astros. Since the Cubs' stretch of games against postseason contenders began a couple weeks ago, the Cubs are 12-8, which is pretty darn good. There are some tough pitching matchups in this series, with a "Clemens/t" duel on Wednesday the one that looks most exciting on paper.

Tuesday
7:05 PM, WGN
Andy Pettitte (4-1, 3.38 ERA, 40 K/17 BB) vs. Glendon Rusch (4-1, 4.15, 40/14)

Wednesday
1:20 PM, FSN
Roger Clemens (10-2, 2.73, 101/38) vs. Matt Clement (7-6, 2.98, 103/30)

Thursday
1:20 PM, WGN
Wade Miller (7-7, 3.35, 74/44) vs. Mark Prior (2-1, 3.28, 28/10)

[Christian:] I look at this as an opportunity for the Cubs to bury the Astros. A sweep puts the Cubs five games up on Houston, and depending on what the Cards to, the Astros could be as many as nine games out by Thursday, at which point I imagine they'll think about moving Beltran. Pettitte is coming off a second DL stint, and Miller has been uneven this year though he's looked better recently. Clemens is, well, Clemens.

Cubs vs. Pettitte

Macias: 4-12, 333/333/750, 2 2B
Ordonez: 4-11, 364/357/455
2-12, 167/231/167

Grudzielanek is 4-for-8, all singles.

Astros vs. Rusch

Kent: 6-15, 400/500/733, 2 2B, 1 HR
Bagwell: 7-26, 267/457/615, 3 HR, 9 BB
Berkman: 4-17, 235/381/471, 1 HR
Ensberg: 4-12, 333/333/333
Biggio: 8-29, 276/364/276
Ausmus: 3-17, 176/222/412, 1 HR, 5 K
Vizcaino: 4-15, 267/313/267

Cubs vs. Astros Bullpen

Sosa vs. Weathers: 11-27, 407/452/815, 3 HR
Alou vs. Weathers: 6-18, 333/435/611, 1 HR
Alou vs. Miceli: 5-15, 333/313/733, 3 2B, 1 HR
Hollandsworth vs. Weathers: 5-15, 333/474/533
Sosa vs. Miceli: 4-15, 267/313/467, 1 HR
Grudzielanek vs. Weathers: 4-13, 308/357/385
Walker vs. Munro: 3-10, 300/300/300
Lee vs. Weathers: 1-12, 083/389/083, 5 BB

Astros vs. Cubs Bullpen

Bagwell vs. Mercker: 8-21, 381/375/905, 2 2B, 3 HR
Kent vs. Mercker: 11-27, 407/448/704, 2 2B, 2 HR
Vizcaino vs. Farnsworth: 3-12, 250/308/500
Beltran vs. Hawkins: 6-19, 316/381/526, 1 HR
Ausmus vs. Mercker: 4-12, 333/385/333
Biggio vs. Mercker: 207/343/345, 4 2B, 6 BB
Bagwell vs. Farnsworth: 4-21, 190/333/381
Biggio vs. Farnsworth: 4-22, 182/308/318, 1 HR, 10 K
Vizcaino vs. Mercker: 4-16, 250/250/250, 6 K
Ausmus vs. Hawkins: 3-14, 214/250/214
Ausmus vs. Farnsworth: 2-11, 182/250/182
Kent vs. Farnsworth: 2-14, 143/143/214

Berkman is 5-for-8 off Farnsworth; Everett is 1-for-8.