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Brewers face tough test against LHP Rodriguez

Aug 11, 2007 - 2:13 PM Milwaukee (61-55) at Houston (51-64) 7:05 pm EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers' dominance over the Houston Astros will be put to a severe test in the middle game of a weekend series on Saturday.

That is because Wandy Rodriguez (7-10, 4.50 ERA) takes the mound for Houston, and boasts the second-best home ERA in baseball.

Despite coming off a sweep at the Colorado Rockies during the week, the Brewers posted their fifth straight over the Astros, 5-4, on Friday. Corey Hart hit a go-ahead triple in the 11th to seal the win.

Overall, Milwaukee is 8-2 against Houston this season, outscoring it by a 31-14 margin. However, the Brewers will have to deal with Rodriguez, who is 6-2 at home with a 1.69 ERA, second only to the San Diego Padres' Chris Young, who has a home ERA of 0.73.

In his last outing, the 25-year-old lefthander held the Chicago Cubs to a run and four hits in eight innings, but did not figure in a 2-1 extra-inning win on Monday. Rodriguez also struck out a career-high nine batters and walked just two.

Jeff Suppan (8-9, 4.84) takes the mound for the Brewers (61-55), who maintained a one-half game lead over the Cubs (60-55) in the National League Central with Friday's win.

Suppan, who is winless in his last eight starts, allowed one run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of an 8-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.