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Final Score: Chicago Cubs 7 - Houston 2

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Aramis Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, as the Chicago Cubs took the opener of a three-game set from the Houston Astros, 7-2.

Geovany Soto added a three-run inside-the-park homer for the Cubs, who have won five of six overall. Mark DeRosa went 2-for-4, extending his hit streak to 10 games, while Ryan Theriot and Derrek Lee each scored a run and drove one in.

Ted Lilly (5-4) won his fourth straight start, as he held the Astros to two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings of work, and had six strikeouts to two walks. Chicago's bullpen gave up just three hits in 3 2/3 frames.

Michael Bourn and Carlos Lee had two hits apiece and each drove in a run for Houston, which has lost three of its last four. Lance Berkman saw his 17-game hit streak come to a halt after he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Hunter Pence's hit streak ended at 16 games, after his 0-for-4 showing.

Brian Moehler (1-1) got the start for Houston and absorbed the loss after he was touched for three runs on seven hits in five innings of work.

The Cubs put some runs on the board in the fourth inning. Ramirez hit a single and Kosuke Fukudome drew a walk, before Soto ran out his homer.

The Chicago catcher blasted a long drive to deep left center that caromed off the wall and away from Houston center fielder Bourn, who proceeded to chase the ball down and relay it in. However, the toss came too late, as all three baserunners crossed home plate.

It was the Cubs' first inside-the-park home run since Derrek Lee legged one out on August 26, 2007 at Arizona. Although, the replay showed that it should have been an automatic homer, as the ball hit the yellow line on the wall.

The Astros got one back in the home fourth. Miguel Tejada connected on his 14th double of the year and swiped third base. Two batters later, Carlos Lee singled to left to plate Tejada, and it was a 3-1 game.

Houston rallied again in the fifth to make it a one-run affair. Ty Wigginton led off with a double and moved to third on Brad Ausmus' groundout. Pinch- hitter Jose Cruz then drew a walk before Bourn's RBI single left runners on the corners.

Fernando Nieve took the mound for the Astros in the seventh and gave up a double to Theriot. Derrek Lee followed with an RBI single, and Chicago was up 4-2.

Chicago ballooned its lead to 5-2 in the eighth. Wesley Wright took over for Nieve in the frame and gave up a single to DeRosa, then walked pinch-hitter Ronny Cedeno. Dave Borkowski took over on the hill and got Alfonso Soriano to strike out, but Theriot came through with an RBI single.

Derrek Lee led off the ninth with a double, and Ramirez followed with his seventh homer of the year to put the Cubs up 7-2.

Bob Howry sat the Astros down in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win.