(My Sportsbook) - The Chicago Cubs' season of sky-high expectations got off to a picture-perfect start on Monday. The defending National League Central champions will try to put together another well-played outing when they continue their season-opening three-game series with the Houston Astros tonight from Minute Maid Park.

Fueled by six strong innings from starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano and early home runs from Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, the Cubs came through with a 4-2 victory over the Astros last night. Chicago jumped out to the quickest of leads, as Soriano belted the game's second pitch over the left field wall.

Ramirez connected off Houston starter Roy Oswalt in the second for a two-run advantage, and Zambrano made the lead stick by yielding just one run and striking out six to pick up the win.

Kevin Gregg, acquired by the Cubs during the offseason to replace the departed Kerry Wood as closer, was touched for a run in the ninth but held on to post his first save in a Chicago uniform.

Oswalt settled down after his early struggles and held the Cubs to three runs on seven hits through seven innings, but still was hung with the loss.

Miguel Tejada led the Astros at the plate with three hits and two runs scored, while Michael Bourn finished 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the setback.

Ryan Dempster will be in charge of trying to keep the momentum going, both for himself and his team, when the veteran hurler takes the mound for Chicago tonight.

After spending the previous three seasons as the Cubs' closer, Dempster made a very successful return to a starting role in 2008. The 31-year-old led the staff and established a career-high with 17 wins, while his 2.96 earned run average was the fourth-best figure in the NL a year ago.

Most of Dempster's success last season came when pitching in his home park, however. The right-hander recorded an astounding 14-3 record and a 2.86 ERA in 20 regular-season starts at Wrigley Field, as opposed to a 3-3 mark with a 3.13 ERA on the road.

The native Canadian also struggled some against the Astros in 2008, with Houston handing him three of his six losses on the year. Dempster did post a 1-3 record in four starts against Houston last season, but did pitch to a respectable 3.12 ERA over that stretch.

For his career, Dempster is just 4-10 with a 4.50 ERA in 41 lifetime appearances versus the Astros, 15 of which have been starts.

Wandy Rodriguez takes the ball for Houston tonight looking to build on his best big-league season. The diminutive left-hander recorded a solid 3.54 ERA and a 9-7 record over 25 starts last year, while striking out 131 batters over 137 1/3 total innings.

Rodriguez was sidelined for than a month last season with a groin strain and missed some time this spring with injuries to his ribcage and finger, but pronounced himself fit for this start after striking out 11 over six shutout frames against Houston's Double-A team last Thursday.

The 30-year-old beat the Cubs at Minute Maid Park with 6 2/3 innings of one- run ball last July and had a 2.99 ERA over 14 home starts in 2008. Rodriguez owns a 4-4 record with a 4.68 in 10 career starts versus Chicago.

Houston won four of its six matchups at home against the Cubs last season, as well as nine of the 17 overall meetings between the NL Central foes.

With a win tonight, Chicago will have won a season-opening series for the first time since the club took two of three games from the New York Mets in 2003.