San Francisco @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2015 ) San Francisco 8, Houston 1

The Houston Astros have hit a rough patch since ripping off 10 consecutive victories and look to salvage a split of their two-game interleague series against the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. The American League West-leading Astros were drubbed by the Giants 8-1 in the opener of a nine-game homestand to drop to 2-6 in their last eight contests.

Houston has been held to one run or less five times during the eight-game swoon and has scored more than three runs once in that stretch. San Francisco has a chance to move two games above .500 for the first time after starting the season with 10 losses in 14 games. Rookie Matt Duffy drove in a season-high five RBIs as the Giants amassed their highest run total of the year to improve to 8-3 in May. Giants right-hander Tim Hudson, who has never lost to the Astros, opposes lefty Brett Oberholtzer on Wednesday.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Hudson (1-3, 4.50 ERA) vs. Astros LH Brett Oberholtzer (2014: 5-13, 4.39)

Hudson is coming off a brutal performance in a home loss to Miami, getting tagged for six runs and a career-worst 15 hits over 6 2/3 innings. The 39-year-old Georgia native picked up his only victory in his previous turn, allowing three runs on only two hits - both homers - over eight innings. Hudson is 5-0 with a 1.24 ERA in seven career starts against the Astros, holding them to a collective .189 batting average.

Oberholtzer will come off the disabled list to make his season debut after being sidelined late in spring training due to an issue with blisters. He opened last season by losing his first six decisions before a solid stretch of 10 starts in which he permitted three runs or fewer on nine occasions. Oberholtzer stumbled down the stretch, though, going 1-5 over his last six starts and failing to go past 4 1/3 innings in half of them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros RF Colby Rasmus is 6-for-14 with two homers against Hudson.

2. Duffy is 10-for-20 with eight RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

3. Astros DH Evan Gattis is mired in an 0-for-15 rut over the past five games.

PREDICTION: Giants 5, Astros 3