PITTSBURGH - First his health was against him, then a game situation. Now it's the weather.

Josh Fogg just wants to get back on the mound to right the wrong.

"The sooner, the better," the 27-year-old Pirate right-hander said after his most recent start a week ago.

Fogg retired none of the five Chicago Cubs he faced last Wednesday. He walked two of them, surrendered three hits and all five scored. He departed after throwing just 32 pitches - 16 strikes, 16 balls.

Fogg took an 0-3 record and a 17.00 earned run average into Tuesday's scheduled start against Houston at PNC Park. But cold weather and sleet forced postponement of that outing.

He will try again tonight against the Astros after making two simulated starts during the past week.

"It was hard to have to take him out (against the Cubs), but it was an easy decision to go get him," Pirate manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Josh was headed for a 50-pitch inning and I can't jeopardize one of my starters like that this early."

"I would have loved to have stayed out there and worked it out," Fogg said. "But I understand why I had to come out. It was a no-win situation for me and my team.

"I put my team in a horrible situation. It was my fault," he added.

The Pirates lost that game, 12-1, as Chicago scored eight runs in the first inning. They have dropped five of six games on their current home stand, with two games rained out.

Fogg appeared to be heading into the 2004 season on a positive note. He threw five scoreless innings against Cincinnati March 17, then missed his next spring training start because of stiffness in his left side.

He returned to work five innings against Minnesota April 3, but was touched for three runs on eight hits.

His season has been a nightmare since.

Fogg surrendered five home runs in nine total innings pitched during his first two regular season starts. He allowed 28 home runs in 2002 and 22 in 2003.

Including his brief outing against Chicago last week, Fogg is 13-4 lifetime when he keeps the opposing team in the ballpark.

"I know I have to keep the ball down, and I did that (against the Cubs)," he said. "They hit some ground balls that found the holes. That wasn't luck. Hitters try to hit ground balls that find holes."

"Josh made some quality pitches," McClendon said. "He just didn't get any breaks."

Fogg has allowed 17 hits, 17 earned runs and eight walks in nine innings pitched so far this season.

"I haven't been making any big pitches," Fogg said. "Obviously, I haven't been doing my job.

"I'm not gonna beat myself up over this. I feel good physically. Maybe I just need to throw a couple of at-'em balls to get over this."