Houston @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( May 27, 2010 ) Houston 3, Milwaukee 4
The Houston Astros haven’t done anything well all season. They haven’t pitched particularly well and they certainly haven’t hit for power or average.
All of that was evident as the Astros lost two of three to the Texas Rangers over the weekend. Houston finished 3-12 in interleague play and has now lost 11 of its past 15 games.
The Astros will try and get back on track as they open a three-game series on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers, winners of six of their past seven. Houston sends right-hander Bud Norris to the mound for the first time since May 23, while Milwaukee counters with left-hander Manny Parra.
Norris has been on the disabled list with bicep tendinitis, but finished up a three-game medical rehabilitation stint at Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday, posting a 3.06 ERA over that stretch.
In his nine starts so far this season, Norris has pitched more than five innings only once. That came on May 13, when he went eight innings to lead the Astros to a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
In his last start before landing on the disabled list, Norris went five innings, allowing five runs on six hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts in what resulted in a 10-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Offensively, the Astros struggled on Sunday. They managed only one run on six hits as Michael Bourn picked up the lone RBI.
And it won’t get any easier for the Astros, who will face Parra hand his 3.52 ERA in June.
Parra, who is 4-3 with a 4.91 ERA in seven lifetime starts against the Astros, makes his final start of the month coming off a victory against the Minnesota Twins. Parra went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 3.83.
Despite that solid stat line, Parra did have four wild pitches which led to a pair of runs for the Twins. Those four wild pitches matched the club record set by Ed Sprague on May 14, 1975.
Prior to that start, Parra turned in two quality starts, but took the loss in both games after the offense didn’t provide enough run support.
The Brewers’ bats came through with three runs on Sunday to support Chris Narveson and his eight shutout innings against the Mariners. Rickie Weeks had four hits, including a double and a home run, and Prince Fielder and Corey Hart added the other two RBIs.
Milwaukee, however, still finished the game 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. Regardless, it was enough offense to earn the victory and take two of three from the Seattle Mariners.