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05-16-2002, 04:27 PM
By Paul Meyer: Post-Gazette Sports Writer
The series: Pirates vs. Astros, four games at Astros Field, Houston.
Times: 8:05 p.m. today, tomorrow and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday.
TV/radio: Tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night on Fox Sports Net, Sunday on ESPN. All games on KDKA-AM (1020).
Probable starters: RHP Josh Fogg (5-1), LHP Dave Williams (2-4), RHP Kris Benson (0-1) and RHP Kip Wells (5-2) for the Pirates; RHP Roy Oswalt (4-2), RPH Shane Reynolds (3-3), RHP Tim Redding (2-2) and RHP Dave Mlicki (3-4) for the Astros.
About the Pirates: Beginning an eight-game trip against division rivals Houston and Chicago. ... Fogg has pitched at least six innings in five of his seven starts, including his past three. Only once this season has he allowed more than three runs in a start. ... Williams has lost his past three starts, yielding 15 hits and 13 runs in 12 2/3 innings. ... Benson can begin whittling down his 17.18 earned run average. Jeff Bagwell is 3 for 16, Richard Hidalgo is 1 for 11 with five strikeouts, Craig Biggio is 1 for 11 and Daryle Ward is 6 for 14 with two home runs lifetime against Benson. ... Wells has pitched at least six innings in four of his past five starts. He has allowed more than three runs in just two of his eight starts. ... Lifetime, Brian Giles is a .354 hitter at Astros Field, with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 48 at-bats. Jason Kendall has hit .367 with three home runs in 49 at-bats. Aramis Ramirez hit three home runs in a game in Houston last season. Pokey Reese lifetime is just a .204 hitter at Astros Field. And Kevin Young has a .156 mark with one home run in 45 at-bats. ... Against closer Mike Williams, Biggio lifetime is 5 for 20. Bagwell is 8 for 19 with two home runs.
About the Astros: Oswalt, 24, quickly is becoming one of the best young pitchers in baseball. In 54 innings this season, he has allowed only two home runs. He has walked 13 and struck out 46. Against Oswalt lifetime, Giles is 2 for 12 with five strikeouts, Young is 2 for 10 with five strikeouts, Reese is 2 for 11 and Kendall is 4 for 11. ... Reynolds is 11-6 lifetime against the Pirates. Kendall is 5 for 29, Young is 3 for 23, Armando Rios is 0 for 8, Reese is 7 for 16 and Giles is 7 for 19 against him. ... Redding is filling in until Wade Miller comes off the disabled list, probably in about 10 days. He is is 2-0 with a no-decision in his past three starts, allowing 10 hits, eight walks and five runs in 19 innings. ... Mlicki has pitched at least six innings and allowed three runs or less in six of his past seven starts. Against Mlicki lifetime, Kendall is 9 for 30 with a home run, Young is 6 for 22 with a home run and Giles is 4 for 12 with a home run. ... Through Tuesday night, Lance Berkman had reached base safely in 36 of Houston's 39 games. And Bagwell had five multihit games, with five home runs, in an 11-game span. ... Against Astros closer Billy Wagner lifetime, Reese is 0 for 11 with eight strikeouts. Young is 0 for 8 with six strikeouts.
On deck: Pirates begin a four-game series Tuesday afternoon in Chicago; Astros begin a three-game series Tuesday night in St. Louis.
The series: Pirates vs. Astros, four games at Astros Field, Houston.
Times: 8:05 p.m. today, tomorrow and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday.
TV/radio: Tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night on Fox Sports Net, Sunday on ESPN. All games on KDKA-AM (1020).
Probable starters: RHP Josh Fogg (5-1), LHP Dave Williams (2-4), RHP Kris Benson (0-1) and RHP Kip Wells (5-2) for the Pirates; RHP Roy Oswalt (4-2), RPH Shane Reynolds (3-3), RHP Tim Redding (2-2) and RHP Dave Mlicki (3-4) for the Astros.
About the Pirates: Beginning an eight-game trip against division rivals Houston and Chicago. ... Fogg has pitched at least six innings in five of his seven starts, including his past three. Only once this season has he allowed more than three runs in a start. ... Williams has lost his past three starts, yielding 15 hits and 13 runs in 12 2/3 innings. ... Benson can begin whittling down his 17.18 earned run average. Jeff Bagwell is 3 for 16, Richard Hidalgo is 1 for 11 with five strikeouts, Craig Biggio is 1 for 11 and Daryle Ward is 6 for 14 with two home runs lifetime against Benson. ... Wells has pitched at least six innings in four of his past five starts. He has allowed more than three runs in just two of his eight starts. ... Lifetime, Brian Giles is a .354 hitter at Astros Field, with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 48 at-bats. Jason Kendall has hit .367 with three home runs in 49 at-bats. Aramis Ramirez hit three home runs in a game in Houston last season. Pokey Reese lifetime is just a .204 hitter at Astros Field. And Kevin Young has a .156 mark with one home run in 45 at-bats. ... Against closer Mike Williams, Biggio lifetime is 5 for 20. Bagwell is 8 for 19 with two home runs.
About the Astros: Oswalt, 24, quickly is becoming one of the best young pitchers in baseball. In 54 innings this season, he has allowed only two home runs. He has walked 13 and struck out 46. Against Oswalt lifetime, Giles is 2 for 12 with five strikeouts, Young is 2 for 10 with five strikeouts, Reese is 2 for 11 and Kendall is 4 for 11. ... Reynolds is 11-6 lifetime against the Pirates. Kendall is 5 for 29, Young is 3 for 23, Armando Rios is 0 for 8, Reese is 7 for 16 and Giles is 7 for 19 against him. ... Redding is filling in until Wade Miller comes off the disabled list, probably in about 10 days. He is is 2-0 with a no-decision in his past three starts, allowing 10 hits, eight walks and five runs in 19 innings. ... Mlicki has pitched at least six innings and allowed three runs or less in six of his past seven starts. Against Mlicki lifetime, Kendall is 9 for 30 with a home run, Young is 6 for 22 with a home run and Giles is 4 for 12 with a home run. ... Through Tuesday night, Lance Berkman had reached base safely in 36 of Houston's 39 games. And Bagwell had five multihit games, with five home runs, in an 11-game span. ... Against Astros closer Billy Wagner lifetime, Reese is 0 for 11 with eight strikeouts. Young is 0 for 8 with six strikeouts.
On deck: Pirates begin a four-game series Tuesday afternoon in Chicago; Astros begin a three-game series Tuesday night in St. Louis.