Houston @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 20, 2011 ) Washington 2, Houston 3
THE STORY: The Washington Nationals are in a major swoon, so there’s no better time for the worst team in baseball to pay a visit. The Nationals, losers of 12 of their past 15 games, will host the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series Friday night. Houston has a major league-worst 50 losses away from home and is 7-18 against the National League East this season. The Astros send hard-throwing righthander Bud Norris to the mound to face rookie Tom Milone, who is making his second major league start.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Bud Norris (6-9, 3.83 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Tom Milone (0-0, 8.31 ERA).
Like his team, Norris is mired in a dry spell with one win in his last 10 starts. He has had some tough luck, allowing two runs or fewer three times in that span and failing to get a decision. In his last outing, Norris was tagged for six runs in 5 1/3 innings in an 8-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers his last time out. He beat the Nationals the only time he faced them last September.
Milone made his major debut Saturday and it was more noteworthy for what he did with his bat. He clubbed a three-run homer on his very first pitch, becoming the eighth major league pitcher to homer on the first pitch he saw. It went downhill from there for Milone, who couldn't protect a 5-0 lead and exited after 4 1/3 innings having allowed four runs on six hits.
ABOUT THE NATIONALS (65-76): The recent skid has dropped Washington a season-worst 11 games below .500. The Nationals rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, only to see closer Drew Storen give up three runs in the ninth. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was rained out and likely will not be made up. Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer, his 19th of the season and fifth in 14 games. Ryan Zimmerman had an RBI double for his first extra-base hit in eight games.
ABOUT THE ASTROS (48-95): Houston has dropped five of six to open September. The Astros received home runs from Carlos Lee, Matt Downs and Clint Barmes in a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Lee has homered four times in his last 14 games and has hit safely in 16 of 17. He has a career .328 batting average against Washington. Barmes had four two-hit games in his last seven. Brett Wallace is 0-for-7 since he was recalled from the minors. He was demoted at the end of July after going hitless in 17 straight at-bats.
FINAL PITCH: According to a report by MLB.com, baseball commissioner Bud Selig has asked prospective Astros owner Jim Crane to consider moving the team to the American League. The sale of the Astros has been held up for weeks, and there is a suspicion that the proposed switch of leagues could be behind it. Such a move would put 15 teams in each league.