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Braves-Astros Preview

Aug 10, 2010 - 4:50 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (64-47) at Houston (47-63), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens has yet to win on the road and yet to lose at night.

A decision for him will end one of those streaks Tuesday night, and Jurrjens hopes its his winless run on the road as the Braves look to end the Houston Astros' six-game home win streak.

Jurrjens (4-4, 4.48 ERA) has been an enigma with a 4-0 mark and a 2.02 ERA in six night starts that have mostly been at home. On the road, he's 0-4 with a 7.63 ERA in six outings that have mostly been during the day.

The right-hander was victorious Thursday against San Francisco, allowing two runs over six innings in a 3-2 win.

Jurrjens went two innings and gave up one run before leaving due to a lengthy rain delay in a 5-1 loss in his lone career start against the Astros on May 2, 2009.

Houston (48-63) is enjoying its longest win streak at home since a nine-game run Aug. 27-Sept. 11, 2008, after taking advantage of sloppy Atlanta defense in a 10-4 win Monday to open this three-game set. The Braves (64-48) committed three errors to bring their NL-worst total since the All-Star break to 23.

Atlanta has 15 errors in its last 10 games. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez has five in that span after turning in 13 straight errorless games to start his Braves career following his acquisition from Toronto on July 13.

Atlanta's lead atop the NL East was cut to 1 1/2 games over Philadelphia.

Chris Johnson singled twice and drove in three runs to continue his surge for Houston, which ended a four-game skid. The rookie third baseman is hitting .444 with five homers and 22 RBIs over his last 19 games.

"It's definitely a good situation on our team when we can get guys on base for (Johnson)," second baseman Jeff Keppinger said. "He's been coming through big for us."

Houston's J.A. Happ (2-1, 4.03) has had vastly different results in his first two starts with his new club. The Astros acquired him from Philadelphia on July 29 in the Roy Oswalt deal, and Happ gave up two hits in six innings the next day in his Houston debut - a 5-0 victory over Milwaukee.

The left-hander turned in a completely different result in his first road start with the Astros. Happ allowed a career-high seven runs over one-plus inning in an 8-4 loss to St. Louis on Wednesday.

"It just didn't seem like he was able to make adjustments," manager Brad Mills said.

Happ is 2-0 with a 1.78 ERA in five career starts against the Braves. He's limited Chipper Jones to three hits in 13 at-bats, and Jones is 13 for 36 over his last 10 games with three straight multihit efforts.

The Astros starter also will get his first look at rookie right fielder Jason Heyward, who homered on his 21st birthday Monday for just his fifth hit in 35 at-bats. Heyward is 6 for 13 with three homers and seven RBIs in four games against Houston this year.