• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Phillies-Astros Preview

Apr 9, 2010 - 3:23 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (2-0) at Houston (0-3), 8:05 p.m. EDT

After a lack of offense contributed to a winless opening series, the Houston Astros aren't ready to panic. Not even with the two-time defending NL champion Philadelphia Phillies coming to town.

The Astros will again look for their first victory while trying for a fifth straight home win over the Phillies on Friday night.

Houston's 643 runs were among the fewest in the majors last year, and their production through three games this season hasn't shown signs of improvement.

The Astros (0-3) hit .196 and scored six runs while being swept by the San Francisco Giants, who featured Cy Young Award winners Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, and All-Star Matt Cain in those games.

Despite those struggles and a visit from a Philadelphia (2-1) team that won two of three at Washington, the Astros believe they can get back on track this weekend. The Phillies were swept in a four-game set at Houston from Sept. 4-7.

"We know not to panic and we know we have a good group of guys that can get clicking at any time," said leadoff hitter Michael Bourn, who's 2 for 12 with four strikeouts this season. "We'll just wait on that point and hopefully it will start Friday."

For that to happen, Bourn isn't the only Astros player who needs to improve at the plate. All-Star Hunter Pence is 0 for 12 and slugger Carlos Lee is 2 for 12. Houston's also without star Lance Berkman, who's recovering from knee surgery.

"We're going to get our resolve tested early on, but we have a good enough team in here and good enough attitude that we can overcome these types of things," veteran Geoff Blum told the Astros' official Web site.

Pence is hitting .409 with eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 11 games against the Phillies at Minute Maid Park. He's 2 for 3 versus Philadelphia's scheduled starter J.A. Happ.

A runner-up for NL rookie of the year, Happ went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA - including 10-4 as a starter - in 2009. The left-hander allowed four runs in 5 2-3 innings to win his only appearance against the Astros on Sept. 29.

Happ looks to help the Phillies bounce back after starter Kyle Kendrick allowed five runs in four innings of a 6-5 loss at Washington on Thursday. Despite the defeat, Philadelphia hit .327 and outscored the Nationals 24-11 in the series.

After recording one hit in his first two games, Jayson Werth had three doubles in the finale. Ryan Howard is 6 for 15 at the plate after getting two more hits Thursday for the Phillies, who left 11 runners on base in that contest.

"The game was sitting right there for us all day long," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We didn't cash in."

Philadelphia did little when it faced Houston's scheduled starter Bud Norris last season. Norris earned the victory after he allowed two runs and struck out six in six innings of a 4-3 win over the Phillies on Sept. 6.

After going 6-3 with a 4.61 ERA in 10 starts over the final month of the 2009 season, Norris looks to build off his brief, but successful, big-league stint.

"I have to go out there and earn my spot in the rotation, and that's what I want to prove," the left-hander said.