The Houston Astros will try to secure their second straight series win Thursday when they host the San Diego Padres in the finale of their four-game set. Houston, which took three from Cleveland last weekend, posted its second consecutive win over San Diego on Wednesday after dropping the series opener in 10 innings, Lucas Harrell tossed a six-hit shutout and Matt Downs belted a solo homer as the Astros improved to 5-4 on their 10-game homestand.
Despite registering just one run on Wednesday, Houston has scored a total of 28 over its last five games after crossing the plate only once in its previous three contests. San Diego, which was shut out for the seventh time this year, fell to 1-2 on its 10-game road trip. The Padres have dropped eight of their last 12 overall contests.
San Diego Padres at Houston Astros
When: 8:05 PM ET, Thursday, June 28, 2012
Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Houston opened as a -145 favorites as seen in some online sports betting sites. Bet on baseballwith the longest running and biggest Sportsbook.com for better lines and odds.
Pitching Match Up: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (3-3, 3.81 ERA) vs Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
It will be Cashner’s second start of the season and the third of his career. Now at the age of 25, he has worked 2 1/3 innings at Milwaukee on June 9, allowing one run and two hits while walking two and striking out five. Cashner was sent to Double-A San Antonio after that start and went 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings in three outings.
Keuchel also will be starting for the third time in the major leagues. The 24-year-old made his debut at Texas on June 17, when he yielded one run and four hits over five innings. He followed with a superb outing in a win over Cleveland on Saturday, surrendering one run and six hits en route to his first complete game – and Houston’s first of the season.
Bet on Baseball with these Tips:
• Yander Alonso (San Diego 1B) was in the starting lineup for the first time in four games and collected two of his team’s six hits. Alonso had been out with a sore left knee.
• Astros’ starting pitchers have posted a 2.06 ERA over the last nine games.
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