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Red-hot Astros go for sweep of Pirates

Sep 11, 2008 - 10:15 AM Pittsburgh (60-85) at Houston (79-67) 8:05 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros failed to make up any ground in the National League wild-card race on Wednesday, but it was no fault of their own.

Houston will look to gain ground on the Milwaukee Brewers when they go for a four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

Winners of five straight and 13-of-14, the Astros used a grand slam by Miguel Tejada in a 7-4 victory on Wednesday. Houston sits four games behind the Brewers (83-63), who open a pivotal four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. Philadelphia (79-67) sits in a tie with Houston in the race for the playoff spot.

Roy Oswalt (14-9, 3.72) gets the ball for the Astros. The Houston ace has been spectacular lately, posting a 6-1 record and a 1.32 ERA in his last seven starts.

The righthander has allowed five hits and no runs in his last 17 1/3 innings, including a complete-game, one-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on September 6. He was tagged with four runs - three earned - and nine hits in his only previous outing against the Pirates on June 4.

Pittsburgh counters with Zach Duke (5-13, 4.87), who snapped a personal nine-game losing streak last time out. The lefthander had not won since June 9, spanning 14 starts, before throwing a complete-game shutout, allowing six hits and two walks in a 7-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on September 5.