While Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt is beginning to settle down after a poor start, there’s no telling how long San Francisco Giants disappointment Barry Zito’s problems will last. Oswalt looks to win his fourth straight decision for the surging Astros as they face Zito and the Giants on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series. Oswalt (3-3, 5.33 ERA) and Zito (0-7, 6.95) have been two of the major league’s elite pitchers this decade, but both have struggled this season.After losing his first three starts, Oswalt has gone 3-0 with a 3.55 ERA in his last five outings. He gave up three runs and six hits while striking a season-high nine in seven innings against Washington on Wednesday night, but did not receive a decision as Houston (21-17, +7.2 units) won 4-3.
The right-hander, though, has surrendered four home runs in his last two starts and has given up 11 overall after allowing just 14 in all of 2007. Oswalt went 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two starts versus the Giants last season, and is 2-5 with a 4.07 ERA in 10 career starts. Houston has posted only one win in his last six road starts.
Zito, meanwhile, has lost all seven of his starts and spent 10 days working out his problems in the bullpen before the Giants (16-22, -3.6 units) put him back in the rotation.
His seventh start was much better than the previous six, allowing two runs, three hits and striking out five in five innings as San Francisco lost 3-1 to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. In his previous outing, Zito was roughed up for eight runs and seven hits in three innings in a 10-1 loss to Cincinnati on April 27.
“We’re comfortable with Barry,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy told the team’s official Web site. “The results are not great but we have to figure a way to score some runs. The Astros are playing well. It looks like they are clicking.” The Giants and Zito are 2-12 against the money line vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .325 or worse over the last two seasons.
Zito will be facing a Houston team that has won eight of nine, scoring six or more runs six times during that stretch. His first appearance against the Astros was last May 23, allowing one run and four hits in seven innings to earn a win in a 9-1 victory.
Houston, though, is coming off yet another strong game at the plate, going 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position in an 8-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. The Astros were no-hit through six innings and trailed 3-1 after seven, but picked up their 11th come-from-behind win raising record to 8-1 in May.
“We feel like we have the offense to get us back in a lot of ballgames,” Houston center fielder Hunter Pence said. “We don’t feel like we’re defeated just because we’re down two runs late in the game. It just goes to show the kind of character we have on this team. We have some guys that dig in and battle.” The Astros have lifted record to 14-3 after scoring five or more runs in previous game.
The Giants, meanwhile, have won consecutive games for the first time since matching a season-best with three straight wins from April 23-25. This does not necessarily mean good times for San Francisco, who is 19-34 after having won two of their last three games over the last couple of seasons.
While the Houston offense has been scoring runs, quality bullpen has been a big part of the turnaround. The ‘Stros are 9-2 with a hot bullpen whose WHIP is under 1.250 the last 15 games this season. Add it all together and Oswalt and Houston are -132 moneyline road favorites, with Total at Un8 at Sportsbook.com.
The Astros have has their issues with San Francisco, winning 16 times in previous 56 meetings and Oswalt is just 1-6 in the City by the Bay. Houston backers can at least believe they have a fighting chance with Zito and Giants 1-10 when he takes the mound as an underdog.
This contest can be viewed in both local markets starting at 10:15 Eastern or watched on MLB.TV.
StatFox Power Line – Houston -171
ANTHONY GIORNALISTA, STATS Senior Writer contributed to this article.
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