(Sports Network) - The Houston Astros will go for their fifth straight win this evening when they open a three-game interleague series against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park.

The Astros won the finale of a four-game series versus Atlanta before sweeping the Chicago Cubs in three games at Wrigley Field. On Thursday, Brad Ausmus hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to lift Houston to a 3-2 comeback win.

Ausmus finished 2-for-4 and Chris Burke also had a pair of hits and a run scored for the Astros, who have won eight of their last nine games.

Fernando Nieve got the start and allowed two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. The bullpen took over from there and combined to pitch 3 1/3 shutout frames. Dave Borkowski got the win after pitching a scoreless seventh and Brad Lidge hurled a perfect ninth to record his 18th save.

Houston, which is five games off the NL Central lead, will open a six-game homestand on Friday and is 23-14 at Minute Maid Park this season. It will send Wandy Rodriguez to the hill against Kansas City for his 15th start of 2006.

Rodriguez is 8-3 with a 4.48 ERA this season and has won his last two starts, including a June 11 performance against Atlanta. The lefty got the victory despite allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings.

Rodriguez, who is 3-1 over his last five trips to the mound, is 5-2 with a 5.44 earned run average at home this season. He has never faced Kansas City in his young career.

The Royals, cellar dwellers of the AL Central, will counter with struggling right-hander Scott Elarton for Friday's series opener. Elarton has dropped his last three starts and is just 1-8 with a 5.24 ERA this season.

Elarton got the loss in his last outing on June 11 against Tampa Bay, allowing four runs on eight hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings. His only win this season came on May 26 at Yankee Stadium.

Elarton will be making his first-ever appearance against Houston.

The Royals have lost five of their last six games, including Thursday's 3-2 setback in 10 innings against the LA Angels of Anaheim in the finale of a four-game series.

Matt Stairs had a double and an RBI for the Royals, who have lost nine of their last 10 games to the Angels. Elmer Dessens recorded the loss, surrendering one run on two hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Kansas City is 1-3 on a seven-game road trip and 7-29 away from Kauffman Stadium this season.

The Astros have won 12 of the last 14 meetings against KC are 13-5 against the Royals all time. They went 2-1 versus Kansas City in the 2005 series.

Houston is 73-61 in interleague play, while Kansas City owns a 66-94 record versus the National League.