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Diamondbacks-Astros Preview

Aug 22, 2009 - 4:28 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Arizona (54-68) at Houston (59-62), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks desperately need a spark at the plate to snap a six-game losing streak. Perhaps facing struggling Houston Astros starter Brian Moehler will help.

In danger of losing seven straight for the first time in over four years, the Diamondbacks and their struggling lineup look to take advantage of a matchup with Moehler on Saturday night.

A loss in the middle game of this series would give Arizona (54-69) seven in a row for the first time since June 5-11, 2005. The Diamondbacks went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and were shut down by Roy Oswalt for seven innings of a 1-0 loss to Houston (60-62) on Friday night.

Arizona is hitting .177 while averaging 2.0 runs during its skid. The Diamondbacks have also lost eight straight road games, posting 2.4 runs a contest over that span.

Arizona has a good opportunity to end its woes in a matchup with Moehler (7-9, 5.40 ERA), who has compiled a 7.31 ERA en route to losing his last three starts. The veteran right-hander gave up three runs and 10 hits in five innings of Houston's 6-2 loss to Milwaukee on Saturday.

Moehler is 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in five starts versus the Diamondbacks.

Even if Arizona chases Moehler, it will have to contend with a Houston bullpen that has gotten stronger with the return of LaTroy Hawkins.

Hawkins pitched a perfect eighth inning in this series' opener, striking out two, and has not allowed a run in five appearances since coming off the disabled list Aug. 12 following treatment for shingles.

Jose Valverde, meanwhile, fanned two in the ninth to earn his 19th save for the Astros. He has struck out nine and has not allowed a run in his last seven innings, converting all five of his save opportunities over his last six appearances.

Houston's bullpen has a 1.32 ERA in its last five games, striking out 14 in 13 2-3 innings to help the team win four of those contests. The Astros are 25-14 at home since the start of June, posting a 3.81 ERA overall during that span.

Arizona had a 7.90 ERA in five games before getting a strong effort Friday. Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch met with his pitchers before the game in an attempt to help them regain their focus.

"I really just wanted to regain our mindset as to making the most out of our last six weeks of the season," Hinch said. "The last thing I want is the start of any sort of demoralizing attitude or frustration to set in."

Max Scherzer (7-7, 4.00), who will next take the mound for Arizona, is coming off a terrible outing.

The right-hander surrendered nine runs - three earned - while striking out seven in five innings as Arizona lost 9-4 to Atlanta on Monday. His throwing error in the third inning led to six Braves runs.

Scherzer went 5-2 with a 3.52 ERA in his previous 12 starts.

This will be Scherzer's first start against the Astros. He faced them in relief on April 29, 2008, striking out seven in 4 1-3 perfect innings of a 6-4 Diamondbacks loss.