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Pirates aim for fifth series win in seven tries

Jul 22, 2007 - 1:54 PM Houston (41-56) at Pittsburgh (41-55) 1:35 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- After snapping a season-high seven-game losing streak on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Pirates go for their fifth series win in seven tries when they host the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Despite finding themselves in a five-way tie for the fewest wins in the National League with 41, the Pirates have had little problem handling the Astros, defeating their NL Central foe in seven of the eight games the teams have played this season.

That includes a 7-3 win on Saturday, as Paul Maholm threw 6 2/3 strong innings and Adam LaRoche and Jason Bay both drove in two runs.

Pittsburgh now has a chance to wrap up another series win as it had won four straight prior to the All-Star break before being swept in its first two afterwards.

Shane Youman (2-1, 4.24 ERA) will try to keep that stretch going for the Pirates despite losing for the first time in three starts last outing. In Tuesday's 6-2 loss against the Colorado Rockies, he surrendered season highs in earned runs (four) and hits (eight) over five innings.

The lefthander has faced Houston only one other time in his career, tossing two scoreless innings of relief last September 27.

The Astros will answer with Woody Williams (4-11, 5.37), who hopes to put a stop to both his personal and his team's struggles on the road. Williams is 1-8 with a 5.58 ERA in 12 starts away from Minute Maid Park, contributing to Houston's league-worst 17-34 road mark.

On Monday, the righthander surrendered four runs over six innings in a 4-3 loss at the Washington Nationals. In 15 career starts against the Pirates, however, Williams is 7-4 with a 3.65 ERA.