The Astros are 9-6 against teams in their division this year and begin a six-game stretch against NL Central foes tonight when they battle the Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Felipe Paulino (0-6, 5.36 ERA) will pitch against former Astros lefty Randy Wolf (3-4, 5.10). Wolf is the ninth left-handed starter the Astros have faced this year and the second in a row. Houston is 3-5 against lefty starters.
Paulino is riding a six-game losing streak and is the first Astros pitcher to begin 0-6 since Chris Holt in 1999. His run support average of 2.58 is the fourth-lowest in the Majors this year, and he has the lowest run support in the past two seasons at 2.52. That’s more than a half run lower then the next pitcher on that list, Kenshin Kawakami of Atlanta. The Astros have lost eight of his nine starts.
Here are the lineups:
ASTROS
CF Michael Bourn
2B Jeff Keppinger
1B Lance Berkman
LF Carlos Lee
RF Hunter Pence
2B Pedro Feliz
C Humberto Quintero
SS Tommy Manzella
P Felipe Paulino
BREWERS
2B Rickie Weeks
CF Carlos Gomez
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Casey McGehee
RF Corey Hart
SS Alcides Escobar
C Jonathan Lucroy
P Randy Wolf
