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Astros-Braves Preview

May 2, 2010 - 12:14 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Houston (8-14) at Atlanta (9-14), 1:35 p.m. EDT

Atlanta has managed to get back on track after suffering through its longest losing stretch in almost four years. It's come at the expense of the struggling Houston Astros.

The Braves look to match a season high with their third straight victory Sunday and complete a series sweep of the visiting Astros, who'll try to avoid a sixth consecutive loss.

Atlanta (10-14) entered this set on a nine-game losing streak, but beat Houston 4-2 on Friday and pounded out a season-high 15 hits during a 10-1 win Saturday.

Troy Glaus had three hits with four RBIs and rookie Jason Heyward homered in his third straight game as the Braves posted double-digit runs for the first time since opening the season with a 16-5 win over Chicago.

Houston (8-15), meanwhile, is mired in its longest losing streak of the season since opening with eight straight defeats. The Astros were last swept by the Braves from May 5-8, 2005.

Recording another sweep of Houston is very much possible if Atlanta can continue to get timely hitting and solid pitching like it has over the first two games.

Saturday's contest could help jump-start Glaus, who's batting .221 in his first season with the Braves.

"I'm trying to just simplify things," Glaus said. "Just put the bat on the ball and not worry to much about the result."

Since enduring a 1-for-20 stretch over seven games, Heyward is 5 for 11 with three homers in his last three contests. He leads all rookies with seven home runs and 20 RBIs.

After Tommy Hanson and Tim Hudson each delivered strong starts in the first two games of this series, the Braves hope Derek Lowe (3-2, 5.79 ERA) can do the same as he tries to avoid a third straight loss in this contest.

Lowe has allowed five runs in each of his last two outings, the latest in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-4 defeat at St. Louis on Tuesday.

"It's frustrating," Lowe told the Braves' official website.

The right-hander is 4-3 with a 3.57 ERA in nine starts against the Astros, who've hit .215 and scored 11 runs during their five-game skid.

"Sometimes you go through things like this when some guys have to understand what they're capable of," said Astros manager Brad Mills, who held a team meeting prior to Saturday's loss.

Lance Berkman went 0 for 2 but drove in Houston's lone run Saturday after missing one game with a strained left groin. Although Berkman is batting .229 in 10 games since returning from March knee surgery, he's a lifetime .308 hitter with two doubles and two home runs against Lowe.

Bud Norris (1-2, 5.60) will make his first career appearance against Atlanta when he takes the mound for the Astros.

A bit inconsistent through his first four starts, Norris looks to bounce back after he gave up five runs and walked four while striking out six in five innings of a 6-2 loss to Cincinnati on Tuesday.

"Whatever it was - mentally or mechanically - you have to go out there and compete," Norris said. "Some nights you are going to have it all working and some nights you aren't."