(Sports Network) - Carlos Zambrano returns from the disabled list this evening when the Chicago Cubs open a key three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

Zambrano's return, though, will likely be overshadowed by Jim Edmonds' first appearance in St. Louis since the Cardinals dealt him to San Diego this past winter.

Edmonds struggled in San Diego and was designated for assignment by the Padres in May. He was signed by the Cubs shortly thereafter and has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in the Windy City, hitting .294 with eight homers and 24 RBI in 36 games.

The 38-year-old Edmonds was a six-time Gold Glove winner in St. Louis and was a three-time All-Star in his eight years there. His 241 home runs are also the fourth-most in team history.

Zambrano, meanwhile, will be pitching for the first time since losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on June 18. The big right-hander left that start with shoulder discomfort and was placed on the DL four days later.

He is 8-3 this season with a 3.13 earned run average.

Zambrano is 8-4 lifetime against the Cardinals with a 2.37 ERA in 19 games, 18 of which have been starts.

Chicago could use a big start from its ace tonight after losing for the sixth time in its last eight tries on Thursday to San Francisco. The Cubs fell, 8-3, in the rubber match of that one at AT&T Park.

Mark DeRosa drove in a pair of runs while Sean Gallagher (3-4) lost his third straight decision, giving up four runs -- three earned -- on four hits in five innings of work for the Cubs, who are 2-5 on their 10-game road trip.

St. Louis, meanwhile, also enters tonight's contest on a losing note after getting drubbed, 11-1, by the New York Mets on Thursday in the finale of a four-game set from Busch.

Mitchell Boggs (3-1) surrendered all 11 runs -- 10 earned -- and 10 hits to take the loss, while walking six in his fifth start of the season. The Cardinals had not yet lost a game Boggs started, as the rookie surrendered career highs in hits and runs.

Ryan Ludwick, Yadier Molina and Adam Kennedy each had two hits, while Chris Duncan drove in the lone run for St. Louis, which compiled nine hits but failed to pick up its 50th win of the season.

St. Louis will pin its hopes tonight on right-hander Braden Looper, who is 9-5 with a 4.26 ERA. Looper received a no-decision on Sunday in Kansas City, as the Royals reached him for three runs (two earned) and six hits in just 3 1/3 innings. Looper also walked four, as the Cardinals pulled out a 9-6 win.

Looper has faced the Cubs 36 times, but just four times as a starter and is 3-3 with four saves and a 2.37 ERA against them.

St. Louis took two of three from the Cubs earlier in the season, but Chicago has won eight of its last 12 at Busch.