(Sports Network) - The month of May has been awfully kind to the Houston Astros, and so has their recent road trip. Tonight, the club will open a three-game interleague series against in-state rival Texas at Rangers Ballpark.

Houston is 11-2 this month and improved to 6-1 on its 10-game swing through Los Angeles, San Francisco and Texas with Thursday's 8-7 victory over the Giants at AT&T Park. Lance Berkman's solo homer in the ninth inning helped the 'Stros overcome a six-run deficit, and he finished 3-for-4 with a double in a winning effort.

Berkman, who has hit safely in 13 consecutive games, has posted a .556 batting average with seven homers and 20 RBI during that stretch.

Kaz Matsui went 3-for-4 with a double, Carlos Lee finished 3-for-5 with a solo homer and Darin Erstad chipped in a pinch-hit, three-run homer for Houston. Starter Chris Sampson allowed seven runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits in six innings for the no decision, with relief pitcher Tim Byrdak hurling two-thirds of an inning to record the triumph.

Houston is 1 1/2 games behind NL Central-leading Chicago.

Still searching for his first win in an Astros uniform, Shawn Chacon gets the nod this evening. Chacon is 0-0 with a 3.53 ERA in eight starts this season, while the Astros are 4-4 with the right-hander taking the hill.

Chacon, who has lasted at least five innings in every start, has pitched the 'Stros to victory in each of his previous two outings. He recorded his eighth no decision of the 2008 campaign on Sunday at Los Angeles, when he gave up just two runs on seven hits in six innings during an 8-5 victory.

The Alaska native and former American League pitcher is a perfect 4-0 with a 5.16 earned run average in six career appearances (4 starts) against Texas.

Texas will close out a nine-game homestand this weekend with this three-game set versus the Astros in Arlington. The Rangers were aiming for a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, but suffered a 4-3 loss in 12 innings. Miguel Cairo drove in the game-winning run in the 12th off of Texas reliever Franklyn German, who was saddled with the loss.

David Murphy went 4-for-5 with an RBI and Michael Young had two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Rangers, who had won seven of eight contests entering the finale of the set. Texas is still a solid 11-5 over its last 16 games.

The Rangers will rest their hopes on Sidney Ponson tonight, and he is 2-0 with a 3.16 ERA in four starts this season. Ponson last pitched on Sunday versus Oakland, recording a no decision despite giving up a season-high six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. That ended a streak of back-to-back wins for the veteran.

The bulky righty hasn't fared too well in his career against Houston, going 0-2 with a 2.08 earned run average in two starts.

Texas went 4-2 against the Astros last season and compiled an 11-7 record against the National League in 2007. The Rangers, who are 13-11 against the Astros since the start of the 2004 campaign, own a 93-101 all-time versus the Senior Circuit.

Houston finished interleague play last season with a 9-9 record and is 87-80 all-time in games played against the American League. The Astros are 22-20 against the Rangers since interleague play began in 1997.