Los Angeles @ Houston preview
Minute Maid Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 4, Houston 2
Wandy Rodriguez has been a bright spot for the Houston Astros this season. They'd like to see him shine against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rodriguez looks to get the Astros back in the win column on Saturday when he faces the Dodgers in the third contest of their four-game series at Minute Maid Park.
Houston saw its five-game home winning streak come to an end Friday as Jay Gibbons belted a two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning to lead Los Angeles to a 4-2 triumph. Gibbons entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and delivered an RBI single that gave the Dodgers a 2-1 edge.
The loss was just the fifth in 19 games for the Astros, who fell to 1-1 on their 10-game homestand. However, Los Angeles snapped a six-game losing streak with the victory, improving to 1-4 on its season-high 10-game road trip.
Rodriguez has been one of the league's best pitchers of late, winning five of his last six decisions and posting an 8-2 record with a 1.91 ERA over his last 14 starts. The left-hander has allowed fewer than two earned runs in seven of his last nine outings.
On Monday, Rodriguez settled for a no-decision in Houston's 5-4 road loss to the Chicago Cubs after surrendering four runs and eight hits in seven innings. The performance ended his string of eight straight starts with less than three earned runs allowed.
Rodriguez owns a 3-3 record and 2.49 ERA in eight career games, including one relief appearance, against the Dodgers. He yielded four runs - one earned - and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 6-2 loss at Los Angeles on May 17.
The 31-year-old has gone 7-5 with a 2.62 ERA in 14 starts at home this season.
John Ely, who faced Rodriguez on May 17, will do so again on Saturday. The rookie will be making his 15th start of the year and first since July 10, when he was tagged for six runs and five hits over just 2 1/3 frames in a 7-3 loss to the Cubs.
Immediately after the defeat, Ely was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque and was not recalled until this past Monday.
The 24-year-old Ely outdueled Rodriguez in their first encounter, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings en route to his second major league victory.
In six starts on the road for the Dodgers, Ely is 2-4 with a 4.03 ERA. Overall, he has lost two straight outings and six of his last seven decisions.