Houston @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2012 ) Milwaukee 5, Houston 3
The Milwaukee Brewers can not afford any more missteps. After watching his team let a one-run lead slip away in the ninth inning on Thursday, manager Ron Roenicke will turn to stud right-hander Yovani Gallardo in Friday's series opener against the visiting Houston Astros. Gallardo, who has won seven straight decisions, owns an impressive 13-2 career mark against the Astros while limiting them to a .229 batting average.
John Axford came one out away from preserving victory on Thursday, only to yield a game-tying homer to Todd Frazier and an RBI triple to Dioner Navarro in a 2-1 setback to Cincinnati. The loss dropped Milwaukee four games behind St. Louis in race for the National League's second wild card - with six contests remaining for both teams. On the other end of the spectrum, Houston can match its franchise-worst total for losses from last season with another setback.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSH (Houston), FSWI (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Edgar Gonzalez (2-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (16-8, 3.59)
Making his fifth start this season, Gonzalez will do his best to handcuff Milwaukee. The 29-year-old Mexican hasn't done a good job of that during his career, brandishing a 6.00 ERA and allowing a .314 batting average to the Brewers. Gonzalez exited after 1 2/3 innings with a strained right hamstring in his last outing against Pittsburgh on Friday.
Gallardo has yielded two runs or less in seven of his last eight outings. The 26-year-old Mexican allowed two runs on six hits in five innings to settle for a no-decision versus Washington on Sunday. Gallardo has defeated Houston on three occasions this season - permitting a total of five runs on 16 hits in 20 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston selected Bo Porter to be team's next manager. Porter, who currently serves as Washington's third base coach, will assume his new role as soon as the Nationals' season ends.
2. Despite Houston's less-than-desirable record, the Astros have hung tough against their NL Central rival this season. Milwaukee has won eight of the 14 meetings.
3. Milwaukee's Norichika Aoki has collected a major league-best 17 extra-base hits in September.