Milwaukee @ Houston preview
Minute Maid Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2010 ) Milwaukee 0, Houston 6
All of a sudden, the Houston Astros pitching staff is untouchable.
The Astros try to extend their scoreless innings streak today when they host the Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of their three-game series.
Since trading ace Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia on Thursday, Houston has yet to allow a run. J.A. Happ, acquired from the Phillies in the deal for Oswalt, tossed six scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory in the series opener Friday and Wandy Rodriguez pitched eight impressive frames in Saturday's 6-0 triumph.
Rodriguez improved to 6-1 with a 1.91 ERA over his last seven starts.
The Astros have not allowed a run since the first inning of Wednesday's 8-1 win over the Chicago Cubs, a span of 26 frames. And that run was unearned, making it three straight games without an earned run allowed.
Saturday's victory was Houston's fourth in a row, matching its season high, and fifth in six games. Of the five wins, three have been shutouts.
Chris Johnson went 3-for-3 with an RBI, extending his hitting streak to 14 games. It is the longest run by an Astros rookie since 2000, when Julio Lugo also hit safely in 14 consecutive contests.
Houston will call upon Wesley Wright to try and continue its masterful pitching.
Wright will be making his third start of the season after appearing in six games out of the bullpen. On Monday, the left-hander worked five innings against the Cubs, surrendering four runs and eight hits in a 5-2 loss.
The 25-year-old is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three games - one start - at home this season. He owns a career record of 0-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 14 relief appearances against the Brewers.
Wright will be facing a Milwaukee team that has lost four in a row following a five-game winning streak. The Brewers, who have not been shut out in three straight contests since May 3-6, 1972, have gone 23 innings without scoring a run.
Milwaukee has been unable to come through in the clutch, going 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position over the first two games of the series. With Saturday's loss, it fell to 28-52 at Minute Maid Park.
Getting the start for the Brewers today is former Astro Randy Wolf, who has lost three of his last five decisions. The southpaw allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings of Monday's 3-2 victory over Cincinnati but did not figure in the decision.
Wolf owns a 5-5 record and 3.63 ERA in 14 career starts against Houston. He scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings of a 6-1 triumph over the Astros on May 25.
In 11 outings on the road this year, the 33-year-old Wolf is 5-5 with a 5.51 ERA.
Pedro Feliz has fared well against Wolf over his career, going 6-for-19 (.316) with three home runs and four RBIs.