CHICAGO -- After struggling for most of the season, Bud Norris and the last-place Houston Astros have a chance to finish on a positive note. Norris pitched six shutout innings, Jason Castro homered and the Astros beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 Tuesday night in a matchup of 100-loss teams. The Astros have posted three straight shutouts for the first time since 1986, they said in citing research by the Elias Sports Bureau. The season-ending series between NL Central clubs marks the first meeting of 100-loss teams in the majors since 1962, when the Cubs played the New York Mets. The Astros (55-106) won for the fifth time in six games. They have already matched last years franchise-worst loss total. "The team won three in a row. Thats the way were looking at it," Norris said. "Were trying end this thing strong and play it all the way through." Norris (7-13) scattered four hits and won back-to-back starts for the first time since May. Norris pitched out of several sticky situations. He put runners in scoring position with less than two out in four consecutive innings but didnt allow any runs to cross home. Norris struck out Luis Valbuena and Welington Castillo with runners on second and third to end a fourth-inning threat. The 27-year-old endured a 19-start winless stretch before winning his last two. Four Astros relievers held the Cubs hitless over the final three innings. Wilton Lopez worked the ninth for his 10th save in 13 chances. "I cant say enough about our bullpen today, interim manager Tony DeFrancesco said. Jordan Lyles tossed a complete game at Milwaukee on Sunday and Lucas Harrell and three relievers combined to blank the Cubs on Monday. Houston is 15-14 since Sept. 1 and has won its first road trip of the season with a 4-1 record. The Astros are playing their final series in the NL before moving to the American League in 2013. "Either way, were going to finish strong," DeFrancesco said. "Were going to finish .500 for the month, and were really excited about the future, whats going on for next season." DeFrancesco said Wednesdays finale will be special. He managed the Astros Triple-A team before he took over for the fired manager Brad Mills on Aug. 19. Houston is 16-24 under DeFrancesco. The Astros have chosen Washington Nationals third-base coach Bo Porter as their new manager. DeFrancesco hopes to remain with the Astros in some capacity. "If everybody signs the lineup card, it will be a special memory," DeFrancesco said. "Ill get it framed, and move onto a new chapter in my life. This has been a very special chapter." Chris Volstad (3-12) took the loss for the Cubs, who fell to 60-101. Castro hit his sixth homer of the year, sending a solo shot into the right-field bleachers with two outs in the second inning. Justin Maxwell reached on shortstop Starlin Castros 27th blunder of the year following the home run, and came around to score on Tyler Greenes single. Volstad was otherwise effective, striking out six and walking none in seven innings. Astros pinch-hitter Brian Bogusevic walked and scored on Alberto Cabreras wild pitch to add an insurance run in the eighth. The Cubs were blanked for the 16th time this season. Its the second time they have been shutout in back-to-back games, the other instance coming July 21-22 at St. Louis. "Not a lot of quality at-bats again, left some guys on, striking out with guys in scoring position again," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "Its kind of typifying the whole season, these last two nights swinging the bats." NOTES: Astros OF Scott Moore left in the second when he was hurt diving for Castros shallow popup. The team announced he had irritation in the AC joint in his left shoulder. ... Astros 2B Jose Altuve left in the fifth with discomfort in his left groin. Neither player is expected to play Wednesday. ... The Astros start Edgar Gonzalez (3-1, 4.15 ERA) on Wednesday. Travis Wood (6-13, 4.39) goes for Chicago. ... The Astros are one victory short of 4,000 wins in franchise history. They are 3,999-4,133 in 51 seasons. Wholesale nfl jerseys paypal . The Three Amigos - Cutler has been in need of a reliable pass catcher ever since the Bears acquired him in 2009. Wholesale nfl jerseys usa . Pittsburgh also got minor league pitcher Kyle Kaminska for minor league outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and the extra draft pick for 2013 that the Pirates won in the competitive balance lottery for financially weaker teams. http://www.wholesalenflch... .500. And the Nationals say they have a lot more to accomplish. Edwin Jackson pitched seven scoreless innings and Steve Lombardozzi hit a three-run triple in the Nationals 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night. [url=http://www.wholesalenflcheapjerseysfromchina.biz/]cheap nfl jerseys free shipping . - Offensive lineman Joel Reinders and the Toronto Argonauts agreed to a contract on Tuesday, the CFL club announced. cheap jerseys usa .763 mph in Saturdays qualifying. Its the 11th pole of Hamlins career and his second this season.SUZUKA, Japan -- Red Bull driver Mark Webber set the fastest time in Fridays practice for the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix, edging McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton and teammate Sebastian Vettel. Webber was ahead of the Mercedes-bound Hamilton by 0.214 seconds in the afternoon practice at the Suzuka circuit. Vettel was third, a further one-tenth back. "The car ran well and we tested both tires," Webber said. "We have areas where we can improve, mostly with the balance, so we have some work to do." Hamilton, who won the Japanese GP in 2007 when the event was staged at Fuji Speedway but has never taken top honours at the Suzuka circuit, said he expects a tough challenge from the Red Bulls on the weekend. "It looks very close between ourselves and Red Bull," he said. Michael Schumacher -- who announced on Thursday that he will retire at seasons end -- was 10th in practice. The Mercedes driver spun off the track at the Spoon Curve, slamming into a bank of tires. He walked away from the incident and appeared unhurt. Force India drriver Paul di Resta also lost control of his car at the same curve and was unable to continue.dddddddddddd Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg was forth, ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. Lotus Romain Grosjean was sixth and moved in front of 2011 Japanese GP winner Jenson Button, who led much of the afternoon session but couldnt stay ahead. Williams driver Bruno Senna and Ferraris Felipe Massa were eighth and ninth respectively. Lotus Kimi Raikkonen, who is third in the standings and maintains title hopes despite not having won a race in his comeback season, had a KERS problem and finished 14th. Vettel trails Alonso by 29 points in the standings and is aiming to make up more ground in Sundays 53-lap race. The German driver won the previous race in Singapore and has traditionally done well in Japan -- winning here in 2009 and 2010. Alonso hasnt won since the German GP in July and his series lead has been cut with six races to go. Webber has won twice this year -- at Monaco and Silverstone -- and is fifth in the standings. ' ' '