• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Nationals-Astros Preview

Jul 10, 2009 - 5:09 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Washington (24-58) at Houston (41-42), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Roy Oswalt seems to be rounding into the form that has made him a three-time NL All-Star.

He'll try to win his third straight outing Friday night when the Houston Astros continue a four-game home series against the Washington Nationals.

A two-time 20-game winner, Oswalt (5-4, 3.81 ERA) has had a subpar year by his standards, posting his highest career ERA and going winless in his first seven starts. The Astros (42-43) are only 8-10 in his outings in 2009.

The right-hander has pitched better in his last three appearances, allowing one run in each of them and winning the last two. He followed up a three-hitter in a 3-1 win at San Diego on June 29 with eight strong innings Sunday as he yielded three hits in a 7-1 victory at San Francisco.

"Just a great outing from Roy," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said Sunday. "I hope he pitches this way during the second half. We can jump on his back."

Oswalt does not have a decision in his last five outings against Washington (25-59). He has a 4.44 ERA in that span, and gave up four runs over five-plus innings May 5 in the 11-10 road loss that was suspended and completed Thursday before the start of this series.

Houston has a chance Friday to reach .500 for the first time since the second game of the season. The Astros have had three opportunities in the past week to do so, including the loss in the conclusion of the makeup game Thursday before Houston's 9-4 win in the regularly scheduled game.

Lance Berkman hit a three-run homer and Hunter Pence and Jeff Keppinger each drove in two runs for Houston, which used a four-run rally in the sixth inning to come back from a 4-2 deficit.

"There wasn't a whole lot of buildup," Berkman said. "We moved on and got ready for the regular game. It was like it never even happened."

The Nationals suffered their seventh straight road loss.

"I felt once we won the first one, we had some momentum, things were all on our side," Washington manager Manny Acta said. "But we just couldn't keep adding on after we got that lead."

New Nationals leadoff hitter Nyjer Morgan went 0 for 5 on Thursday, and is 6 for 38 (.158) with 12 strikeouts in 11 games versus Houston this year.

Washington's Scott Olsen (2-4, 6.04) looks to continue his winning ways against Houston. Olsen is 3-0 with a 4.38 ERA in four career starts versus the Astros, although he has never pitched at Minute Maid Park.

Olsen started against Houston in the suspended game. He gave up five runs over five innings.

The left-hander can notch consecutive wins for the first time this year. He allowed three runs and fell one out shy of a complete game Sunday in a 5-3 victory over Atlanta.

"It was good, it was satisfying," Olsen said. "I did OK. I threw the ball down in the zone pretty well for the most part. I kept them off-balance with the offspeed pitches."