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Astros play first game under Cooper

Aug 28, 2007 - 1:27 PM St. Louis (63-64) at Houston (58-73) 8:05 pm EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) - With their inconsistent play costing their manager and general manager their jobs, the Houston Astros look to start anew when they begin a three-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

The Astros fired manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura on Monday.To fill their places, Houston appointed bench coach Cecil Cooper as interim manager and team president Tal Smith as interim general manager.

After his own slow start to the season, Woody Williams (8-12, 4.84 ERA) is looking to win his fourth straight decision. Going 3-10 with a 5.58 ERA through the end of June, the righthander has gone 5-2 with a 3.71 ERA since.

In his last start on Wednesday - a 3-2 victory over Washington - Williams allowed two runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight. Williams, who pitched for the Cardinals from 2001-2004, is 1-3 with a 5.25 ERA in three starts against his former team.

His opponent on the mound will be Braden Looper (10-10, 4.90), who has been solid himself lately, going 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA over his last three turns.

Looper is 5-2 with a 2.33 ERA and four saves in 32 career games - two starts - against the Astros.

St. Louis, which is trying to get back to .500, is two games behind Chicago (66-63) in the National League Central.