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Struggling Astros look to start June on high note

Jun 1, 2007 - 2:35 PM St. Louis (22-29) at Houston (22-31) 8:05 pm EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros can't seem to buy a break in May over the last few seasons. They have been able to turn it around in past campaigns and hope that pattern continues in 2007.

The Astros begin a three-game series with the division rival St. Louis Cardinals Friday at Minute Maid Park.

In 2005, Houston went 10-19 before eventually making it into the World Series and, one year later, it went 11-19 in May before finishing a respectable 82-80.

After breaking their 10-game skid on Thursday, the Astros finished 12-17 in the second month of this campaign.

Houston aims for its second straight win behind ace Roy Oswalt (6-4, 3.36 ERA), who hopes to star June successfully for the club.

In his last start, he surrendered six runs and 10 hits in six innings of an 8-4 loss at Arizona in his last start on Sunday.

The righthander is 8-5 with a 3.17 ERA regular-season games - 19 starts - against the Cardinals. He also has faced St. Louis four times in the postseason.

Adam Wainwright (4-4, 5.59), who has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his last five starts, takes the mound for the Cardinals. He yielded two runs and seven hits in seven innings against the Nationals on Sunday but suffered a 7-2 loss as a result of poor run support.

The righthander is 2-0 in his starts against the Astros this season, allowing three runs in 13 innings. He has faced Houston six times prior to this season as a reliever, owning a 2.53 ERA.