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Nationals-Astros Preview

Jul 11, 2009 - 4:55 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Washington (25-59) at Houston (42-43), 7:05 p.m. EDT

After being saddled with a losing record for nearly all of the first half of the season, the Houston Astros are in position to go into the All-Star break with a winning mark.

The Astros look to move over .500 for the first time all year Saturday night when they continue a four-game series against the Washington Nationals.

Houston (43-43) finally evened its record by rallying for a 6-5 victory Friday. The Astros were last at .500 when they were 1-1, and have won seven of their last 10 games.

Geoff Blum and Carlos Lee each had three hits as the Astros came back for the second straight night. They rallied from two runs down for a 9-4 win Thursday, and overturned a 5-4 deficit Friday after Blum singled in Miguel Tejada with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Blum was a hot topic Friday after yelling at a fan who booed him the day before. The third baseman led off an inning with a double and said the fan called him out for not making it a triple.

"After last night, it was interesting to say the least," Blum said. "I got a chance at redemption and I took advantage of it."

Astros slugger Lance Berkman had his 11-game hitting streak end after going 0 for 4 on Friday. Berkman was 16 for 36 with two homers and nine RBIs during his run.

Washington (25-60) has lost eight straight road games, and its bullpen has allowed six runs over 5 2-3 innings in this series.

"It's at the point where it's just embarrassing for us," reliever Joe Beimel said. "I think everyone in the clubhouse should be embarrassed about the way we play and just the way we lose games. We find a way all the time. It's just sickening."

The Nationals wasted three hits Friday from Nyjer Morgan, who is 11 for 27 (.407) over his last six starts. The left fielder is 0 for 6 with four strikeouts against Astros starter Mike Hampton this year while Morgan was still with Pittsburgh.

Hampton (5-5, 4.16 ERA) tries to earn just his second win in 2009 against a team other than the Pirates. He is 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA in four starts versus the them this year, and 1-5 with a 5.77 ERA in his other 10 outings.

The left-hander dominated Pittsburgh again Monday, allowing one run over seven innings in a 4-1 victory.

Hampton is 9-3 with a 3.10 ERA in 15 career starts against the Nationals franchise.

Rookie Craig Stammen (1-4, 4.88) will start for Washington. Stammen was the tough-luck loser in his last outing, allowing one run over seven innings Monday in a 1-0 loss at Colorado.

Stammen had pitched into the seventh inning just twice in his first eight starts before Monday. The right-hander is facing Houston for the first time.