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Aces on hill when Astros take on Giants

Aug 12, 2008 - 1:54 PM San Francisco (50-67) at Houston (59-59) 8:05 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- A pair of aces face off when the Houston Astros take on the San Francisco Giants in the second game of a four-game series Tuesday.

Houston sends Roy Oswalt (9-8, 4.56) to the mound as the Astros look to move over .500 for the first time in over two months.

The Astros ace boasts a personal three-game win streak and will attempt to duplicate his only other start against the Giants this season. The righthander went eight strong innings, allowing three runs and five hits, striking out six.

Houston, who has won five in a row and 12-of-15, still stands 8 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (68-51) in the Wild Card hunt.

Tim Lincecum (12-3, 2.68) takes the ball for San Francisco. The righthanded phenom has lacked run support over much of the last month as in his last six starts San Francisco has only managed 17 total runs, an average of less than three per game

Lincecum is 8-1 in 12 road starts, posting a dominant 2.04 ERA. He is tied for the Major League lead in strikeouts at 175 with CC Sabathia.

Fellow youngster Jonathan Sanchez, who has gotten even less run support than Lincecum, had the trend continue on Monday. The lefthander did not allow a hit over the first five innings on Monday, but the Giants scored a single run or less run for the 12th time in his 24 starts, dropping a 3-1 decision in the series opener.