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Giants-Astros Preview

Jun 21, 2010 - 6:56 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

San Francisco (38-30) at Houston (26-44), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Tim Lincecum has dealt with some uncharacteristic control problems in recent weeks, and his season appeared to be getting worse when he was struck by a line drive on the final pitch of his last outing.

Visiting the Houston Astros may help him turn things around.

The two-time reigning NL Cy Young winner looks to beat Roy Oswalt and dominate the reeling Astros for the third time this year, and the San Francisco Giants can improve to 7-0 against Houston this year as they open a three-game set Tuesday night.

Lincecum (7-2, 3.11 ERA) was in trouble throughout six innings against Baltimore on Wednesday, limiting the Orioles to two runs despite allowing eight hits and four walks in a 6-3 win.

The biggest scare, however, came with two outs in the sixth, when Miguel Tejada's liner hit Lincecum before Freddy Sanchez threw Tejada out.

"It just skimmed my shoulder," Lincecum said. "I didn't see the ball coming back at me. It was hit pretty well and it just kind of ricocheted off me. I was more shocked than anything."

Lincecum won't miss a start as he tries to overcome some wildness. He has walked at least four batters five times in his last seven starts - a big reason for a 4.47 ERA in that stretch - and he uncorked three wild pitches against the Orioles.

"A few balls got away from me," Lincecum said. "I had to battle out there, throw a lot of pitches. I'm not going to let it get me down."

The right-hander walked five on May 15, but that didn't stop him from limiting Houston to one run in eight innings of the Giants' 2-1 win.

Lincecum, who is 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA in seven career starts against the Astros, also won at Houston on April 5, pitching seven shutout innings as San Francisco notched a 5-2 victory.

Oswalt (5-8, 3.12) posted quality starts against Lincecum twice this year but was the tough-luck loser each time. The right-hander will get another chance as he looks to win a third straight start overall after allowing two runs in seven innings in recent victories over Colorado and Kansas City.

"I was keeping the ball low in the zone, not leaving balls in the middle of the plate the first pitch, and throwing some quality pitches," Oswalt said after Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Royals - the Astros' only victory in their last nine games.

Oswalt will need to be a stopper again as Houston (26-44) has again dropped four straight, getting swept at home by Texas over the weekend.

The Astros have also lost their last eight against San Francisco, totaling 12 runs in the first six meetings this year. Those numbers aren't a huge surprise as Houston ranks 28th in the majors with 3.37 runs per game while the Giants are third with a 3.33 ERA.

San Francisco (38-30) has also gotten some improved offense lately, scoring at least six runs eight times while winning nine of 14.

The Giants totaled two runs in their first two games at Toronto over the weekend, but avoided a sweep with Sunday's 9-6 victory

Aubrey Huff hit his fifth home run in his last nine games, and Pat Burrell went deep while Sanchez recorded his first homer since Aug. 4 at Houston.

"(Sunday) was a confidence booster for the next series as far as getting the offense back on track," said Burrell, who is 2 for 12 with no homers in his career versus Oswalt.