Houston @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2011 ) Houston 1, Pittsburgh 5

THE STORY: The 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates keep accomplishing things the franchise has not seen in quite some time. The latest trick - moving four games above .500. With the way the Pirates have been playing lately, the next stop could be the top of the National League Central. The Houston Astros do not have the same sort of optimism as they keep plunging to new depths. The latest losing streak has reached five games and the Astros show no signs of breaking out. Pittsburgh will be looking to sweep the three-game series when they host the finale Wednesday night.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Houston, ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Charlie Morton (7-4, 3.63 ERA) vs. Astros RH Bud Norris (4-6, 3.51).

Morton allowed only three hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings at Washington on Friday, but was left out of the decision. The righthander had 10 days off prior to that start after getting lit up for six earned runs in two innings June 20. Morton has beaten the Astros twice already this season, improving his career mark to 2-3 with a 6.54 ERA against the division rivals. Norris became a victim of the Astros’ struggling bullpen last time out, leaving with a lead in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox but not factoring in the decision as Houston went on to lose. The burly righthander has not won since June 8, but has been overpowering at times with 110 strikeouts in 105 innings. Norris allowed one run in seven innings against Pittsburgh on June 14, but still took the loss 1-0. He is 2-4 with a 3.96 ERA against the Pirates in six career starts.

ABOUT THE PIRATES (45-41): A day after reaching three games over .500 this late in the season for the first time in 12 years, Pittsburgh went ahead and took another step forward Tuesday and pushed it to four games past mediocrity this late for the first time since 1992. For a franchise that has not had a winning season since 1992, being tied for second place - 1½ games out of first - with less than a week until the All-Star break is a big deal. That has been seen at the gate as well with the Pirates drawing sellout crowds for four straight games before Tuesday. Pittsburgh is getting help up and down its roster, with Brandon Wood taking the opportunity to step up Tuesday with a season-high three RBIs in the 5-1 victory.

ABOUT THE ASTROS (29-58): For Houston, it seems like just a matter of time before the front office starts to solicit serious trade offers for players such as Hunter Pence, Wandy Rodriguez, Michael Bourn and Brett Myers. The Astros have dropped 10 of their last 11 games and sit six games behind the Chicago Cubs in last place in the Central while holding onto the worst record in the majors. When they get a strong pitching performance, such as Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Boston, they don’t seem to hit. And when the bats show up, the pitching staff tends to crumble.

FINAL PITCH: Houston shuffled some of the pieces in its ailing bullpen Tuesday when it placed lefthander Fernando Abad on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his pitching shoulder and called up righthander Fernando Rodriguez from Triple A Oklahoma City. Abad had been pitching well before being reached for four runs in an inning against the Red Sox over the weekend.