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Astros-Dodgers Preview

May 18, 2010 - 6:20 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Houston (13-25) at Los Angeles (21-17), 10:10 p.m. EDT

Losing the best hitter in the majors might hurt most teams, but the absence of Andre Ethier hasn't affected the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers so far.

The performance of their pitchers has been a big reason why.

Hiroki Kuroda will be next in line to try to help the Dodgers to their longest win streak in nearly four years Tuesday night when they face the struggling Houston Astros.

Ethier, who was hitting .392 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs in his first 33 games, fractured the bone at end of his right pinkie during batting practice before Saturday's 4-3 win in San Diego. The team is expected to decide soon whether the outfielder will go on the disabled list.

Manager Joe Torre said he'd like to see Ethier try to swing a bat first.

"I'm not anxious to put him on the DL," manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official website.

Fortunately for Los Angeles, it hasn't missed Ethier too much as its staff has allowed two runs during his absence, including a 6-2 win in Monday night's opener of the two-game series.

John Ely allowed both runs over seven innings while striking out a career-high eight, and the Dodgers' bullpen did the rest, lowering the team's ERA to 1.75 during its eight-game win streak.

The Dodgers haven't won nine straight since an 11-game run July 28-Aug. 8, 2006.

Los Angeles' relievers have allowed two earned runs, nine hits and five walks over their last 20 innings.

"The only common denominator is that we have pitched," Torre told the team's website. "We're playing well as a team. Andre (Ethier) not in the lineup is a blow to us, but we've shown a lot of determination."

Kuroda (4-1, 2.66 ERA) will try to keep that momentum going with his sixth quality start in eight outings this season. The right-hander allowed three runs over 7 1-3 innings in a 6-3 win Wednesday in Arizona, where he took a line drive off the head Aug. 15.

"I'm a human being, so I was a little more nervous for the first hitter," Kuroda said. "Then I told myself, what am I doing? I have to pitch aggressively, and I was able to regroup myself and pitch the rest of the game."

After putting those fears behind him, Kuroda will try to improve on his 1-0 record and 1.93 ERA in three career starts against Houston. He yielded three runs and seven hits over five innings versus the Astros last season at Dodger Stadium but did not receive a decision during a 4-3 comeback victory July 19.

This time, he'll face a Houston team that's averaged 2.6 runs and hit .216 while dropping 15 of 20. The Astros (13-25), losers of four straight, are last in the majors in batting average (.227) and runs (112).

They've given Bud Norris (2-4, 6.03) just 10 runs in his first seven starts, but the right-hander snapped a personal three-game skid Thursday by allowing one run through eight innings in a 4-1 victory over St. Louis.

Both of Norris' wins this season have come on the road against the Cardinals but he has never faced the Dodgers (21-17), winners in 13 of 16.