The slumping Astros look to end a four-game losing streak when they face their NL Central rivals in the Pirates’ home opener Monday.
The Astros could have a hard time breaking out of their slump against Pirates left-hander Zach Duke, who held St. Louis to one earned run in 6 1-3 innings of a 7-4 win in his 2009 debut Wednesday.
Duke is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in five games - four starts - versus the Astros since the start of the 2007 season.
An improved lineup will only go so far for the Astros if Brian Moehler struggles again Monday. The veteran right-hander allowed seven runs in 1 2-3 innings of his season debut Wednesday, an 11-6 home loss to Chicago.
Moehler was 2-1 despite a 9.39 ERA in four starts against Pittsburgh last season.
At 41 years old, Doug Brocail knows his body well enough to be honest when he’s feeling serious discomfort and needs to go on the disabled list.
After all, he was on the DL 12 times in his career before this season. Make that 13.
Without Brocail, Geoff Geary is now the option in front of top setup man LaTroy Hawkins as the bridge between the starters and closer Jose Valverde.
“We called Doug in and talked to him and talked about if he didn’t pick up a ball (Sunday), (Monday) and Tuesday, where did he think he’d be on Wednesday, and he didn’t think he’d be far enough along to help us,” GM Ed Wade told the Houston Chronicle. “He was honest, which is what we needed. We needed some truth at that point on where he stood.”
A workhorse on the bullpen in the first half last season, Brocail made only three appearances this year before landing on the 15-disabled list Sunday, retroactive to Saturday, with a strained right rotator cuff.
Brocail, who has the Astros’ lone victory this season, was 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA after three appearances. Right-hander Jeff Fulchino, who will join the club Monday in Pittsburgh, was called up from Class AAA Round Rock to take Brocail’s spot on the 25-man roster.
“I was more worried about this one than when I blew out my elbow a second time,” Brocail told the Chronicle. “I’m a strike-thrower, and when I threw 13 straight balls (Friday), it’s not good. At least this way I can get the swelling out.”
Brocail felt tremendous discomfort Friday while throwing an inning against the Cardinals, and Saturday he was sent back to Houston to have an MRI and be examined by Dr. David Lintner, the team medical director.
“Usually I would kind of lie about that and get a feel, but I can’t help the team out if I can’t get my arm up,” he told the Chronicle.
Notes, Quotes
• RHP Roy Oswalt, the Astros ace who went 10-2 after the All-Star break last year, is off to an 0-2 start with a 6.23 ERA this year.
Oswalt was battered Saturday while giving up nine hits and six runs over six innings, including a grand slam to NL MVP Albert Pujols in the 11-2 loss. He gave up three runs in the season opener over seven innings.
• RHP Doug Brocail, who was the Astros’ top setup man most of last season and was expected to be the club’s seventh-inning guy this season, landed on the disabled list Sunday, retroactive to Saturday, with a strained right rotator cuff. Brocail, who gave up runs in two of his three appearances this season, was 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA.
• RHP Jeff Fulchino, who was one of the Astros’ top surprises this spring, was called up from Class AAA Round Rock on Sunday to fill the roster spot left open when RHP Doug Brocail was put on the disabled list.
Fulchino threw two scoreless innings Saturday in his start for Round Rock, which pulled him after he hit a 45-pitch limit to guard against having to call him up to the majors. This spring he made nine appearances for the Astros, allowing only three earned runs (five overall) while going 0-1 with a 1.88 ERA and one save through 14 1/3 innings.
• A season-high 24 Astros were retired in order at one point by Cardinals RHP Kyle Lohse on Sunday.
By The Numbers: 19—Hits allowed by the Astros in an 11-2 loss to the Cardinals on April 11.
Quote To Note: “It’s frustrating whenever you keep getting guys on base and you can’t come up with any runs. It seems like we’ve done that a lot, but the good news is we’re getting guys on base against pretty tough pitching, and I think given enough chances we’re going to score runs in bunches. We just haven’t done it yet.”—1B Lance Berkman, on the Astros’ slow offensive start.
Player News:
• LHP Wesley Wright, the Astros’ top rookie last season, had a poor outing Saturday. The situational lefty allowed four runs, including seven consecutive hits and a three-run home run from Albert Pujols.
• RHP Brandon Backe, who is on the 15-day disabled list, threw 50 pitches Saturday in his second bullpen session since suffering a left intercostal strain last month. Of the 50 pitches, about 25 to 30 of them were fastballs.
“I threw more pitches at a higher intensity this time,” Backe, 31, told the Houston Chronicle. “I’m just trying to be focused towards throwing the ball towards the catcher and not having any pain instead of worrying about location, but for the most part the location was there.”
• CF Michael Bourn, hoping to answer all the critics who wondered if he were worthy of being on the 25-man roster, much less the starting lineup, has collected a hit in each one of the Astros’ games this season.
• 2B Kaz Matsui, who needed two weeks in the exhibition session to get three hits this spring, has collected a hit in each game this season, but he is hitting only .240.
• LHP Wandy Rodriguez, who welcomed the first chance in his career to serve as a No. 2 starter, is 0-1 with a team-best 3.00 ERA and a team-high eight strikeouts. He was in line to beat the Cubs in the second game of the season, but the bullpen blew that lead. Then he was the hard-luck loser Sunday in the 3-0 defeat against the Cardinals.
Medical Watch:
RHP Doug Brocail (strained right rotator cuff) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 11.
RHP Brandon Backe (strained left side muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list March 27. He threw off a mound April 8 and April 11.
INF Aaron Boone (open-heart surgery on March 26) went on the 15-day disabled list March 27, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 10. He was uncertain whether he’d resume his career.