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Astros-Padres Preview

Jun 30, 2009 - 6:30 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Houston (35-38) at San Diego (33-41), 10:05 p.m. EDT

It seems all the Houston Astros need to get closer in the NL Central race are some more games against the NL West - particularly the San Diego Padres.

The Astros' dominance of the West is helping make up for their struggles within their own division, and Tuesday night in San Diego, they'll look for their seventh straight win against the Padres as the teams continue their four-games series.

The NL Central race appears to be wide open as the season reaches its halfway point, with only six games separating first-place Milwaukee from last-place Pittsburgh. Houston (36-38) is four back of the Brewers, a somewhat remarkable achievement considering its 15-23 intradivision record.

The Astros, though, have stuck around in the Central by beating up on the West. Houston didn't waste any time building upon its 12-4 record in Monday's series opener. Ivan Rodriguez homered and Roy Oswalt pitched his 17th career complete as the Astros beat the Padres for the sixth straight time, 3-1.

"He was making the pitches he had to," said first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who struck out to end the game. "He made great pitches on my last at-bat. He threw some great fastballs on the outside corner."

San Diego (33-42) will try to beat Houston for the first time since April 3, 2008, by giving Josh Banks (0-0, 2.84 ERA) his first start of the season. Banks was 3-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 14 appearances - eight starts - with Triple-A Portland, and he's given up two runs in 6 1-3 innings with the Padres since being called up on June 16.

Banks, who had a 4.75 ERA over 17 games - 14 starts - with San Diego last season, has never faced Houston.

Perhaps Banks' biggest worry will be Lance Berkman, who has started to reverse his struggles in the past week. Berkman was hitting just .239 on June 25, but he has eight hits in 16 at-bats, including two homers and seven RBIs, over his past five games.

With two hits in the series opener, Berkman's average is up to .256. He is hitting .390 (30 for 77) with nine homers and 24 RBIs over his last 21 games against the Padres.

San Diego's biggest slugger, on the other hand, is spiraling downward. Gonzalez hit his 22nd homer and drove in his 43rd run on June 2, but he has just two homers and four RBIs since while hitting .213.

Gonzalez has never faced Mike Hampton (4-5, 4.70), who will get the ball for the Astros in his return from the disabled list. Hampton, who had a strained left groin, is 1-5 with a 6.32 ERA this season in nine starts against teams other than Pittsburgh.

The veteran left-hander struggled with control in his latest outing before landing on the DL. He gave up three runs and eight hits while issuing five walks over five innings June 12 in an 8-1 loss at Arizona.

He threw approximately 60 pitches in a simulated game in Houston on Friday, and said the groin didn't bother him.

"I wasn't really looking at his stuff, but more looking to make sure that he was physically fine," manager Cecil Cooper told the Astros' official Web site. "I know his stuff will be there when he gets on the hill."

Hampton is 6-10 with a 5.17 ERA in his career against the Padres, whom he hasn't faced since 2005.