Houston @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2012 ) Houston 4, Pittsburgh 6
With their best record at the midway point of the season since 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates will send right-hander Jeff Karstens out to try to finish off a four-game sweep of the visiting Houston Astros. The Pirates have won seven of their last eight, including comeback victories in the first three games against Houston. Pittsburgh has won six straight series and is looking for its first four-game sweep since taking four from Milwaukee from May 29-June 1, 2006.
The Astros have lost seven straight overall and nine in a row on the road - and their lineup will have a little less punch without veteran Carlos Lee, who was traded to the Florida Marlins on Wednesday. Houston is 9-31 on the road, the worst mark in the majors.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Houston, ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Bud Norris (5-5, 4.90 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Jeff Karstens (1-2, 5.25)
Norris has lost his last four starts and hasn't recorded a quality outing since throwing seven scoreless innings May 21 against the Chicago Cubs. He returned from the disabled list and gave up four runs over six innings in a loss to the Cubs on Friday. Norris is 4-4 with a 3.60 ERA in nine starts against the Pirates. He outdueled James McDonald on May 11 at PNC Park, striking out eight and allowing three hits over six scoreless innings.
In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Karstens threw seven solid innings Saturday at St. Louis for his first win of the season. He allowed two runs on four hits while racking up a season-high seven strikeouts. Karstens is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA in eight games (seven starts) against Houston. He won all three of his starts against the Astros last year, including a five-hit shutout.
WALK-OFFS
1. In exchange for Lee, the Astros received 3B Matt Dominguez, who will join the major-league team, and LHP Rob Rasmussen, who was assigned to Double-A Corpus Christi.
2. Pittsburgh 3B Pedro Alvarez had two more RBIs Wednesday and has 13 in his past six games. Alvarez's 48 RBIs rank second on the team behind Andrew McCutchen (54).
3. Pirates 2B Neil Walker, who is riding an eight-game hitting streak, is 8-for-20 (.400) with a homer against Norris.