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(Sports Network) - Due to the play of Lance Berkman, few paid attention to Hunter Pence's recent 16-game hitting streak. However, the spotlight was all on Pence last night, and the Houston Astros outfielder will try to lift his club to another victory in this evening's finale of a three-game set with the Chicago Cubs at Minute Maid Park.

Pence was one of many Astros that struggled early in the season, as he held a .161 average after an 0-for-3 effort versus Philadelphia on April 16. However, he went on a eight-game hitting streak after and his recent career-long 16- game run lifted his average to .289.

That streak ended in Monday's loss to the Cubs, but the second-year outfielder went 3-for-4 and connected on his second career grand slam in yesterday's 4-2 victory.

Pence, who hit .322 last year and was a National League Rookie of the Year candidate until he missed almost a month of action due to a broken right wrist, has three homers, 13 RBI and a .267 average in 15 career games against the Cubs.

Berkman went 1-for-3 with a run scored one game after having his 17-game hitting streak halted. The first baseman batted .545 (36-for-66) during the streak and is now hitting .388 on the season.

Chris Sampson (3-3) gave up two runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win, the Astros' second in three games.

Ryan Dempster (5-2) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings to absorb the loss and Aramis Ramirez belted a two-run homer for Chicago, which had won five of six coming in. Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 and scored a run, while Mark DeRosa added a pair of hits.

DeRosa now has a hit in 11 straight games, batting .462 in that span, while Ramirez homered in his second straight game and is 5-for-9 with three runs scored and four RBI in this series.

Ramirez has also dominated Shawn Chacon, who goes tonight for the Astros. Against Chacon, the Cubs third baseman is batting .588 (10-for-17) with four doubles, five homers and 13 RBI. DeRosa is hitting .167 (2-for-12) against Chacon in his career.

Chacon has set a major-league record with nine consecutive starts without a decision to begin a season, but that was a good thing considering his last outing. Against the Rangers on Friday, the right-hander allowed a season-high eight runs (5 earned) on six hits over just 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.

Chacon also walked four and was tagged for three home runs on that day. He left the game trailing 8-2, but Houston eventually tied the game before losing, 16-8.

Chacon has a 4.14 earned run average on the season and is 1-4 with a save and 6.69 ERA in 15 career tests versus the Cubs, including five starts. He didn't allow a run in seven games against them last year, totaling 9 1/3 innings of relief.

Sean Gallagher starts for the Cubs and is coming off his first career victory and decision. After 10 straight relief outings, the 22-year-old made his first big-league start on May 11 against Arizona and got a no-decision. However, versus the Pirates on Friday, he gave up just a run on four hits and three walks over six innings of work.

The right-hander, who makes his first-ever road start tonight, faced the Astros out of the bullpen on August 8 of last year and gave up a hit and a walk in one scoreless inning of work.

Chicago won two of three over Houston when the clubs met at Wrigley Field in early April, and has won seven of its last 10 versus the Astros.