San Francisco @ Houston preview
Minute Maid Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 29, 2012 ) San Francisco 6, Houston 4
The National League West-leading San Francisco Giants try to complete a three-game sweep Thursday when they face the Houston Astros in the finale of their series at Minute Maid Park. San Francisco posted a 6-4 victory on Wednesday, its season-high fifth consecutive road triumph. Hunter Pence belted a three-run homer against his former team and six relievers combined to allow one run over 6 2/3 innings as the Giants maintained their 3 1/2-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
San Francisco, which has won 16 of 21 on the road and seven of nine overall, has captured seven of its eight meetings with Houston this season. Owners of the worst record in the major leagues at 40-90, the Astros have lost 17 of 20 at home and 11 of 13 overall. The managerial change has had little effect on the club as it is 1-8 since Tony DeFrancesco took over for the fired Brad Mills on an interim basis Aug. 19. Houston's offense has sputtered of late, producing five or more runs only once since a 10-1 road victory over the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 14.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (11-7, 2.90 ERA) vs. Astros RH Jordan Lyles (3-10, 5.47)
Vogelsong bounced back from a pair of brief outings with a solid performance on Friday, allowing three runs over 6 1/3 innings in a victory over Atlanta. The 35-year-old surrendered 11 runs and 17 hits over a combined 5 2/3 frames in his previous two outings. Vogelsong is 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 11 career games against the Astros, including four starts.
Lyles ended his personal six-game losing streak Friday at New York as he allowed just one run and three hits over six innings in a triumph over the Mets. The 21-year-old had gone nine starts without a win since defeating San Diego on June 26. Lyles won his only career start against the Giants, yielding just an unearned run over five frames on Aug. 20, 2011.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros OF Ben Francisco was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to discomfort in his right wrist.
2. Pence has haunted his former team, hitting four home runs in seven games against Houston since being traded to Philadelphia last season.
3. Wednesday's game drew a crowd of 13,207, the smallest in the history of Minute Maid Park.