• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Marlins-Astros Preview

Aug 20, 2009 - 6:11 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Florida (64-55) at Houston (57-62), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Josh Johnson of the Florida Marlins and Wandy Rodriguez of the Houston Astros have been two of the top pitchers in the NL this season.

While Johnson's career year continued with a brilliant performance last week, Rodriguez's hit a major hiccup.

Johnson looks to follow perhaps the best outing of his career with his sixth straight win Thursday night in a matchup with Rodriguez, hoping to bounce back from his worst major league start in the finale of a three-game series in Houston.

Entering their respective last starts Friday, Johnson and Rodriguez were both in the top 10 in the NL in ERA. But only Johnson (12-2, 2.85 ERA) continued his dominance, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning of a 6-5 win over Colorado.

The right-hander allowed one hit - a home run to Garrett Atkins - while striking out a career-high 11 over 7 1-3 innings to win his fifth consecutive decision. He's 19-3 since returning in July 2008 from an elbow injury that sidelined him for more than a year and required reconstructive surgery.

"He's unbelievable," Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez said of Johnson, who's matched his career high in wins, set during his rookie 2006 season. "We're glad we're on the same team so we don't have to face him."

The Astros weren't as impressed with Rodriguez (11-7, 3.05) on Friday. The left-hander, who had held opponents to one or no runs in each of his previous seven starts, gave up a career-high 10 earned runs in four innings of an 11-2 loss at Milwaukee. It matched the highest run total allowed by a pitcher in the NL this year.

Manager Cecil Cooper told the Astros' official Web site that Rodriguez's problems stemmed from a lack of command on his fastball and a lack of movement on his breaking ball.

Rodriguez is 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in six games - four starts - against the Marlins. Ramirez is 4 for 8 with two triples and a walk in his career against him, while Dan Uggla is 3 for 9 with two doubles.

Johnson is 0-2 with a 6.75 in two games - one start - against Houston, which he hasn't faced since 2006.

The Marlins (64-56) fell three games back in the wild-card race with a 6-3 loss Wednesday night. They had at least 10 hits for the 15th straight game but stranded a season-high 16 runners.

"We got a lot of hits," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We just couldn't touch that home plate."

Michael Bourn carried the Astros (58-62) to that victory with three hits, two stolen bases and two runs scored. The speedy center fielder also made a dazzling catch, helping the Astros win for the third time in nine games.

"I'm proud of all of it," said Bourn, batting .382 with eight runs scored over his last eight games. "I went out there and tried to play my game and I was able to do that. I had an all-around good day."

Bourn, who has never faced Johnson, is 10 for 26 (.385) with seven stolen bases and seven runs scored in six games against Florida this year.