Cubs enter matchup against the Astros on losing streak

Houston Astros (21-31, fourth in the AL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (29-22, third in the NL Central)

Chicago; Saturday, 2:20 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Kai-Wei Teng (2-3, 2.61 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 30 strikeouts); Cubs: Colin Rea (4-2, 4.98 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 40 strikeouts)

LINE: Cubs -152, Astros +126; over/under is 7 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs aim to break their six-game slide when they take on the Houston Astros.

Chicago has a 29-22 record overall and an 18-9 record at home. The Cubs have the seventh-ranked team ERA in the NL at 4.07.

Houston is 9-17 on the road and 21-31 overall. The Astros have hit 61 total home runs to rank fourth in the AL.

Saturday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dansby Swanson has four doubles, a triple and seven home runs for the Cubs. Michael Conforto is 9 for 28 with four doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.

Yordan Alvarez leads the Astros with 15 home runs while slugging .601. Isaac Paredes is 8 for 39 with two home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 2-8, .187 batting average, 5.17 ERA, outscored by 21 runs

Astros: 5-5, .197 batting average, 4.35 ERA, outscored by 18 runs

INJURIES: Cubs: Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow), Christopher Austin: 60-Day IL (knee), Matt Shaw: 10-Day IL (back), Edward Cabrera: day-to-day (finger), Hunter Harvey: 60-Day IL (tricep), Matthew Boyd: 15-Day IL (knee), Riley Martin: 15-Day IL (elbow), Porter Hodge: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shelby Miller: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cade Horton: 60-Day IL (forearm)

Astros: Hunter Brown: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Yainer Diaz: 10-Day IL (abdominal), Taylor Trammell: 10-Day IL (groin), Lance McCullers: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Joey Loperfido: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Jose Altuve: 10-Day IL (side), Bennett Sousa: 15-Day IL (elbow), Carlos Correa: 10-Day IL (ankle), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brandon Walter: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ronel Blanco: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josh Hader: 60-Day IL (biceps), Hayden Wesneski: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.