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(Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs still have a seemingly comfortable lead in the NL Central standings, but will try to get back on track tonight when they wrap up a three-game series versus the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs had a three-game winning streak stopped with Saturday's 12-3 drubbing at the hands of the Cardinals, but hold a four-game edge over Milwaukee and a six-game advantage ahead of St. Louis in the Central standings. Mark DeRosa and starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano both homered for the Cubs, who fell for just the third time in 13 outings.

Zambrano suffered his first home loss of the season after being reached for nine runs on 10 hits and one walk in just 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander was 6-0 in 12 starts in front of the home fans before this recent setback.

Ryan Dempster will put his impressive home record on the line tonight versus the rival Cardinals. In 14 appearances at Wrigley Field this season, Dempster is 10-2 with a 2.77 earned run average, while holding the visitors to a .201 batting average.

However, Dempster dropped his most recent outing at home on August 4 versus the Houston Astros. He was 2-0 in three starts before allowing two runs and five hits in five innings of a 2-0 loss to the Astros.

The right-hander, who is 12-5 with a 2.93 ERA in 24 overall starts this season, is 4-5 in 34 career games, eight of which have been starts, against the Cardinals.

St. Louis is two games off Milwaukee's pace in the NL wild card standings and put the brakes on a two-game losing streak with Saturday's win. Troy Glaus belted a pair of home runs and finished with five RBI to lead the Cardinals, who have won three of their last five games. Glaus ended an 0-for-30 drought against the Cubs, while Skip Schumaker and Albert Pujols also homered in the win.

Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer earned the victory after he allowed three runs on six hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. He posted a career-high 112 pitches in the process.

Chris Carpenter will make his third start of the season for the Cardinals on Sunday evening. Carpenter made his season debut on July 30 at Atlanta in a 7-2 win, and tossed four innings of one-run ball for the no-decision.

Carpenter then pitched on Tuesday in a 6-4 victory versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hurled five shutout innings of three-hit ball for another no- decision.

The veteran righty and 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner has enjoyed success throughout his career against the Cubs, going 7-2 with a pair of complete games and a 3.07 earned run average in 13 career starts.

The 2008 season series between Chicago and St. Louis is tied at four games apiece. The Cubs were 11-5 against the Cardinals last season.