Houston @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( May 26, 2010 ) Houston 5, Milwaukee 0
The Houston Astros have been in this spot before as they try to continue their climb to respectability when they meet the Milwaukee Brewers in today’s rubber game of a three game series.
Houston rode the dominant pitching of Roy Oswalt to a 5-0 victory on Wednesday to improve to 16-30. That was one win in what will be a long road to duplicate the achievement of the 2005 Houston Astros, but at least this year's version knows it can be done.
The 2005 Astros also started the season 15-30, but they regrouped to earn a wild-card spot in the playoffs and knocked off the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals on their way to the World Series.
However, five years ago the Astros’ pitching staff boasted a 20-game winner in Oswalt backed up by Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. Brad Lidge was a dominant closer, saving 42 games, and four Astros hit 24 or more home runs.
This year's version appears more likely headed for the century mark in losses rather than the Fall Classic. Oswalt is still around but wants to be traded, and of the 188 teams to start a season 15-30 or worse, only two - the 2005 Astros and 1988 San Diego Padres - got back to .500.
Brett Myers (3-3, 3.25 ERA) gets the call for Houston and looks to keep continue his personal success against the Brewers. Myers is 4-1 in eight career games against Milwaukee, including four starts. In his last outing on Friday, Myers yielded just one run and six hits in seven innings of a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
One of only two teams in the National League with fewer than 10 home wins, the Brewers had won two straight before Wednesday's setback. With the loss, Milwaukee is a league worst 5-15 at Miller Park.
Dave Bush (1-5, 5.59) starts for Milwaukee and will try to keep his mastery of the Astros intact while trying to figure out how to win a game at home.
Bush is 6-1 in 13 games against Houston, including 11 starts. He has an ERA of 3.46 and has struck out 54 while walking just eight.
Maybe Bush should sleep in a hotel or do something to make himself think he is on the road, because he has not been good at home this season.
In four starts at Miller Park, Bush is 0-3 with an ERA of 6.75 and opponents are batting .341 off him.