(Sports Network) - A pair of teams struggling at the start of the 2008 season will kick off a three-game series this afternoon, as the Chicago Cubs welcome the Houston Astros to historic Wrigley Field.

Both Houston and Chicago come into this series with just one win on the young season. The Astros dropped three of four games in their opening series against the San Diego Padres, while the Cubs lost the first two tests of their set with Milwaukee before rebounding with a win on Thursday.

Alfonso Soriano drove in a pair of runs in the Cubs' 6-3 victory over the Brewers. He drew a bases-loaded walk to plate a run in the fourth and his first hit of the season, a single in the sixth, scored a second run.

Soriano is hitting just .077 so far on the young season.

Aramis Ramirez went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored, while Kosuke Fukudome also scored a pair of runs for the Cubs. Through the first three games of his major league career, Fukudome is batting .500 with two doubles, a homer and four walks.

Ryan Dempster got the win after he gave up two runs -- one earned -- on three hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts in six innings of work. It was Dempster's first start since 2005.

Meanwhile, new Cubs closer Kerry Wood worked around a two-out single in the ninth to pick up his first career save.

Rich Hill will start for the Cubs this afternoon. The lefty is undefeated against the Astros in his career, owning a 2-0 mark and 2.95 earned run average in five games (3 starts) against them. Hill made all three of those starts against Houston in 2007, posting a 1-0 record and 3.32 ERA. He also fanned 18 Astro batters in 19 innings while walking nine.

Hill, 28, was a solid contributor to the Cubs' rotation last year. He won 11 games to just eight losses in 32 starts in 2007, while posting a solid 3.92 ERA and 183 strikeouts.

The Astros fell on Thursday, losing a 3-2 decision to the Padres. The setback wasted a good outing by starter Shawn Chacon, who allowed two runs on five hits and four walks through six innings. Oscar Villarreal (0-1) gave up one run on three hits in two innings of relief.

Mark Loretta had two hits and knocked in a run for Houston, while batting .273 in the series. Rookie catcher J.R. Towles had tied the game for the Astros with an RBI double in the seventh inning.

Carlos Lee is a career .309 hitter versus the Cubs, but is hitting only .176 with a solo homer on the young season. Miguel Tejada, who is hitting .200 with an RBI in his first four games with the Astros, will face the Cubs for the first time in his career today.

Houston's Chris Sampson will aim to continue his success versus the Cubs when he takes the mound in today's opener. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in four games (2 starts) lifetime against Chicago, having allowed only one run and 10 hits in 15 innings versus Chicago.

Sampson made three appearances against the Cubs in 2007 and in his lone start against them last year, he tossed five shutout innings to get the win.

The 29-year-old appeared in 24 games with Houston last year, including 19 starts, and ended the season 7-8 with a 4.59 ERA.

The Cubs won eight of 15 games versus the Astros last year, including six of nine at Wrigley Field.