"One thing that is important is that we get off to a good start here the second half," said manager Lou Piniella. "It's a tough little stretch that we're playing. Ten of our first 14 games are on the road. Let's start playing where we left off."

The Cubs "left off" in first place in the NL Central, even while playing short-handed. They soon hope to have left fielder Alfonso Soriano and left-hander Scott Eyre off the disabled list.

"We're getting healthier, but we're not quite there yet," said general manager Jim Hendry. "Hopefully a week from now, we'll be a fully armed club."

ASTROS 2, CUBS 1: Houston's Miguel Tejada and Hunter Pence opened the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back doubles off RHP Bob Howry, breaking a 1-1 tie Friday. Cubs starting pitcher Ted Lilly worked seven innings, giving up six hits and one run, a homer by Carlos Lee in the seventh. CF Jim Edmonds gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the fifth, when he led off with a homer. The Cubs were out-hit by the Astros 8-4.