August 26, 2011
HOUSTON (43-88) vs.
GIANTS (69-62)
Coverage begins at 6:30 P.M. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Houston Astros appear headed for the first 100-loss season in the franchise's 50-year history. The San Francisco Giants are still in the mix for a shot at defending their World Series title, but don't seem to have a solution to consistently beat the worst team in the big leagues.
The Astros go for their fourth win in five games against the Giants on Friday night.
After taking two of three in Houston last week, the Astros (43-88) continued their mastery of San Francisco with Thursday's 3-1 victory. Henry Sosa - a former Giants farmhand - allowed a run and four hits over six innings for his first win in the majors.
"I don't know if the Giants felt like I could do the job as a starter," Sosa said. "But the Astros gave me a chance and I'm grateful for that."
News
Houston has the NL's highest ERA at 4.62, but that figure drops to 2.37 against the Giants as starters have yielded five earned runs in 24 innings.
RATTO: Giants running out of options
Jeff Keppinger, acquired from Houston last month for Sosa, had two hits in the series opener for San Francisco (69-62), which has totaled 19 runs during a 2-5 stretch which has dropped it three games behind NL West-leading Arizona.
"We just couldn't keep the line moving," manager Bruce Bochy said. "...One run is not going to cut it. We need to score runs."
The Giants may have a good chance to do just that against Astros starter J.A. Happ (4-14, 6.26 ERA), who returns from a brief stint in the minors.
The left-hander had allowed five or more runs in eight straight starts and was tied for the NL lead in losses before being sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Aug. 6. Happ, who is now taking over rookie Jordan Lyles' spot in the rotation, was 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three games with the RedHawks.
Happ lost his only career start against the Giants, 4-0 on Sept. 2, 2009, while with Philadelphia.
San Francisco will go with Madison Bumgarner (7-12, 3.68), making his second straight start against the Astros. The left-hander was charged with seven runs and a season-high 11 hits in 6 2-3 innings of Saturday's 7-5 loss in Houston.
"It stinks that I gave up that many runs, especially with our offense scoring five runs," said Bumgarner, who receives the NL's lowest average run support at 2.94 per nine innings.
Bumgarner has been given an average of 2.43 runs to work with at home, fourth-lowest in the NL behind teammates Tim Lincecum (1.79) and Matt Cain (2.19) and the injured Dustin Moseley of the San Diego Padres (1.65).
Bumgarner is 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA at home in the season's second half. He had been 1-5 with a 5.36 ERA in San Francisco before the All-Star break.
Astros rookie second baseman Jose Altuve went 3 for 4 with an inside-the-park homer against Bumgarner last week. After a 1-for-5 effort Thursday, Altuve is hitting .305 in 33 games.
Another rookie, left fielder J.D. Martinez, had two hits and drove in two Thursday for Houston, and is 11 for 21 with a homer and nine RBIs during a career-best five-game hitting streak that has raised his average 65 points. He's batting .308 in 24 contests.