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Pirates-Astros Preview

Sep 13, 2009 - 4:03 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (54-85) at Houston (69-72), 2:05 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have little to play for except for trying to avoid the shame of a 100-loss season, but doing that may require some outstanding play at home in the season's final three weeks.

They've certainly shown no signs they can win on the road.

The Pirates have dropped 13 in a row away from PNC Park, a streak they'd love to end Sunday afternoon when they close out their season series with the Houston Astros.

Pittsburgh (54-86) must win nine of its final 22 games in order to avoid the franchise's first 100-loss season since 2001, but with half of those remaining games on the road, the situation doesn't look promising.

After falling 4-2 to the Astros (70-72) on Saturday night, the Pirates have lost 14 of 15 overall and are mired in their longest road drought since dropping 19 in a row from July 23-Aug. 30, 1985.

Two-run homers from Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada provided all the offense Houston would need against Ross Ohlendorf.

"Sometimes it only takes a couple of swings," manager Cecil Cooper said. "We had two of them and we made them count."

Paul Maholm (7-8, 4.72 ERA) will get the ball in Sunday's finale for Pittsburgh in search of his first road win since July 7, when he gave up two runs over six innings in a 6-3 victory at Houston. The Pirates are 2-23 away from home since then, and need two wins to avoid being the first team since the 1963 New York Mets to fail to win 20 games on the road in a non-strike shortened season.

Two of Maholm's three road wins this season have come in Houston, where's he's posted a 3.00 ERA in winning his last three starts. The left-hander was 0-3 with a 13.89 ERA in his first three outings at Minute Maid Park.

Carlos Lee is a .219 career hitter against Maholm, and Berkman hits just .154 off the southpaw.

Pittsburgh is 14-14 when Maholm starts, and won his latest outing even as he didn't earn a decision. Maholm gave up four runs and six hits over six innings Sunday against St. Louis in the Pirates' 6-5 victory.

The Astros have won 11 of 14 at home and will try to close their 10-game homestand at 8-2 on Sunday by giving the ball to Felipe Paulino (2-8, 6.34).

Houston is 3-10 when Paulino starts, but the right-hander has been solid in his last two outings despite each ending in defeat. He's given up two runs and four hits over six innings both times, most recently falling 2-1 to Atlanta on Tuesday.

He's struck out 13 in his past 12 innings.

"That's what I was looking for," Paulino told the Astros' official Web site. "I want to be consistent every start, game-to-game. I tried to do the best in me, and today I made some good pitches and worked a lot in the first couple of innings, but I made adjustments."

Paulino left with a sore groin after allowing one run in 1 2-3 innings June 7 against the Pirates, his only career start against them.

Paulino is 1-1 with a 1.83 ERA in five games - three starts - during the day, while he's 1-7 with a 7.89 ERA at night.