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Struggling intrastate rivals meet for interleague series

Jun 22, 2007 - 12:42 PM Houston (31-41) at Texas (28-44) 8:35 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) - Things have not gone well for the Houston Astros or the Texas Rangers since they last met in interleague play.

The intrastate rivals open their second three-game series of the season on Friday. Texas took two-of-three games in Houston last month and the Astros haven't been the same since.

In taking the rubber game of the first series, Texas handed the Astros their first loss in what would become a season-high 10-game skid. Furthermore, Houston has gone 10-20 since winning the second game of that series and reaching the .500 mark at 21-21.

Texas hasn't been much better since leaving Houston. It has gone 10-17 and own the second-worst record in the majors, percentage points better than the Cincinnati Reds.

The Rangers will start Kevin Millwood (3-6, 7.62 ERA), who hasn't pitched well at Rangers Ballpark this season. In four starts here, the righthander is 1-3 with a 9.87 ERA and he's failed to pitch past the fourth inning in each of his last two home starts.

Houston counters with Woody Williams (3-9, 5.50), who has allowed four runs or more in seven of his 15 starts this season. Texas hammered Williams for five runs - including three home runs - in four innings during a 14-1 victory on May 20.

Houston's Craig Biggio is eight hits away from 3,000 for his career.