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Torrid Astros look to continue winning ways against Pirates

Sep 9, 2008 - 1:30 PM Pittsburgh (60-83) at Houston (77-67), 8:05 pm EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros have been one of the hottest teams in baseball, but it may be too little too late.

Winners of 11 of their last 12 games, the Astros will try to maintain their torrid streak as they continue their four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

Houston has pulled within five games of the Milwaukee Brewers (82-62) in the NL wild-card race, but has just 18 games left to close the gap and also will have to leapfrog St. Louis and Philadelphia.

Surprisingly, the Astros are 20-8 since losing slugger Carlos Lee, who went down with a season-ending injury in the first week of August after hitting 28 homers and 100 RBI. Overall, they are 27-10 since July 31.

Randy Wolf (9-11, 4.47 ERA), who is coming off a complete-game shutout against the Cubs on Wednesday, takes the mound looking for repeat effort. The 32-year-old lefthander has surrendered one run in his last two outings, a span of 15-plus innings.

He has allowed four or more runs just once in his eight starts since being acquired from the San Diego Padres on July 23.

Pittsburgh counters with Ross Ohlendorf (0-0, 4.50 ERA), who will be making his second major league start.

The 26-year-old righthander was acquired along with two other pitchers from the New York Yankees on July 26 in a deal that sent Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte to the American League.

After 31 major-league relief appearances, the Pirates gave Ohlendorf the nod to start against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday and he responded well despite getting the no-decision. He gave up four runs - three earned - and seven hits in six frames of a 6-5 victory.