(Sports Network) - With their record-setting April now behind them, the St. Louis Cardinals begin the month of May with a three-game series against the rival Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis, which enters this set with a half-game lead on the Cubs for first place in the NL Central, won its final two games of the first month of the season to post 18 victories through April for the first time in franchise history. The Cards got their milestone win on Wednesday, as Aaron Miles and Rick Ankiel each drove in a pair of runs to back the six-inning effort of Braden Looper, lifting St. Louis past the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2.

Miles finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Ankiel was 3-for-3 with a walk for the Cardinals, who had previously won 17 April games in 2000 and 2006.

Looper (4-1) gave up two runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts to earn the win. Three relievers combined for two scoreless innings before Jason Isringhausen set down the side in order in the ninth for his ninth save.

Adam Wainwright gets the call this evening, as he tries to extend his unbeaten streak to four games. Wainwright picked up a complete-game win on Saturday against the Houston Astros, surrendering three runs and five hits, while striking out six and walking three to improve to 3-1 on the year to go along with a 2.79 ERA.

Wainwright, though, has struggled in his career against the Cubs, going 0-3 with a 7.50 ERA against them in 13 games, four of which have been starts.

Chicago, meanwhile, comes into tonight's contest reeling after dropping their third game in four tries in heartbreaking fashion on Thursday to the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago carried a two-run lead into the ninth, but closer Kerry Wood gave it all back, surrendering three runs on three hits, as the Cubs dropped a 4-3 decision.

Carlos Zambrano held the Brewers to one run on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, fanning three and walking two, while also belting a solo home run. Kosuke Fukudome went 4-for-4 for the Cubs, who have dropped five of seven overall.

Chicago, though, did get star outfielder Alfonso Soriano back in the lineup. Soriano, who finished 0-for-4 in the loss, had been placed on the disabled list back on April 16 with a strained right calf. However, he is hitting just .164 on the season.

Heading to the hill tonight for the Cubs will be left-hander Rich Hill, who is 1-0 on the year with a 3.79 ERA. Hill hasn't pitched since April 23 against the Colorado Rockies when he allowed two runs and three hits in five innings of his team's 7-6 win.

Hill has faced the Cards four times (three starts) and is 1-0 against them with a 3.72 ERA.

Chicago won 11 of its 16 matchups with the Cards a year ago, including a 7-2 mark in St. Louis. The Cubs are also 32-19 in the series since the start of the 2005 season.