San Francisco @ Houston preview
Minute Maid Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2012 ) San Francisco 3, Houston 2
The road has been agreeing with the San Francisco Giants, who try for a season-high sixth consecutive win away from home when they take on the struggling Houston Astros on Wednesday. National League West-leading San Francisco rallied for two runs in the ninth inning in Tuesday's series opener and held on for its fourth straight road victory. Pinch hitters Joaquin Arias and Hector Sanchez delivered run-scoring hits as the Giants posted their 15th triumph in 20 road games.
San Francisco, which increased its division lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers to 3 1/2 games, face a Houston team that has dropped six of the first seven meetings between the clubs. The Astros fell to a major league-worst 40-89 with the series-opening loss and have scored a total of 14 runs over their last seven contests. Houston has lost 10 of its last 12 games overall and 16 of 19 at home.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Barry Zito (10-8, 4.31 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (1-6, 5.40)
Zito is coming off a victory over Atlanta on Thursday in which he allowed two runs and five hits over eight-plus innings. The former American League Cy Young Award winner has captured four of his last six decisions, yielding two runs or less in three of the wins. Zito saw his career record against Houston even out at 3-3 after surrendering five runs over five frames in a loss on June 14.
Keuchel suffered his sixth straight loss at St. Louis on Thursday, when he was tagged for six runs - five earned - in four innings. The 24-year-old has given up four or more runs five times during his losing streak. Keuchel, who is 1-2 in six home starts, will be facing San Francisco for the first time in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Astros are 1-7 under interim manager Tony DeFrancesco.
2. San Francisco RHP Guillermo Mota has returned to the active roster after serving a 100-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
3. Houston has scored five or more runs just once since posting a 10-1 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Aug. 14.