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Astros-Braves Preview

May 1, 2010 - 3:35 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Houston (8-13) at Atlanta (8-14), 3:10 p.m. EDT

Now that their longest losing streak in almost four years has ended, the Atlanta Braves can focus on extending the Houston Astros' latest skid.

The Braves look to build off their first victory in more than a week Saturday while trying to send the visiting Astros to their fifth straight defeat.

Rookie Jason Heyward hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer and Atlanta (9-14) held Houston to four hits in a 4-2 victory Friday. The victory snapped the Braves' nine-game losing streak, the team's longest since dropping 10 in a row from June 11-22, 2006.

Houston (8-14), meanwhile, has dropped four in a row for its second extended skid after opening the season with eight consecutive losses.

The Astros may be without slugger Lance Berkman, who remains uncertain for this contest after he missed Friday's game with a groin injury. Berkman, who missed the first 12 games following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, is batting .242 with two homers in nine games.

Despite Friday's victory, Atlanta has scored 29 runs and hit .211 while losing 10 of 13.

After enduring a 1-for-20 stretch, Heyward has homered in two straight games to give him six this season.

"He's swinging a little earlier in the count now," Braves manager Bobby Cox said of the 20-year-old outfielder. "He's taking to it pretty good."

Nate McLouth, meanwhile, is batting .175 for Atlanta, but homered as part of his first multi-hit game of the season Friday. He is 8 for 18 with four home runs in his last five games against the Astros.

"We want McLouth to swing some," Cox said. "You can't feel for the ball all the time. You've got to let it go once in a while."

After Tommy Hanson went eight strong innings in the opener, the Braves hope Tim Hudson (1-1, 3.28 ERA) can continue his success against Houston when he takes the ball in this contest.

Hudson, who has recovered nicely from Tommy John surgery that limited him to seven starts in 2009, is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in four career starts versus the Astros.

In his last start, the right-hander gave up three runs in six innings and didn't get a decision in a 4-3 loss at St. Louis on Monday.

Carlos Lee is 11 for 27 with a homer and 10 RBIs versus Hudson, but he's hitting .183 this year for the Astros, who have scored 10 runs and hit .220 during their current slide.

The Astros expect Wandy Rodriguez (1-2, 3.65) to take the mound for this contest after he was scratched Friday due to back spasms.

Rodriguez, who allowed two runs and struck out seven in 7 1-3 innings of a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh last Saturday, threw during batting practice Friday without a problem.

"Our hope and expectation would be at this point we'll take every shot at having him for Saturday," general manager Ed Wade told the Astros' official website.

The left-hander is 2-1 with a 4.98 ERA in six starts against the Braves.