Houston @ Pitt 4:05PM CST

FYI
Astros Summary

Platooning in Pittsburgh

Astros manager Phil Garner plans to give all his position players at least one start during today's doubleheader against the Pirates, just as he did in the Astros' previous doubleheader July 2 at Cincinnati. Garner said Brad Ausmus likely will catch the first game of the doubleheader with Ezequiel Astacio on the mound, and Humberto Quintero will catch Wandy Rodriguez in the second.


HOUSTON team trends
as a road underdog of +100 to +125 1-6
when playing on Tuesday 5-7
after a win 28-17


PITTSBURGH team trends
after allowing 10 runs or more 6-3
at home with a money line of -100 to -125 4-7
when playing on Tuesday 7-5
against right-handed starters 28-37

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=650 align=center bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE class=datatable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH align=left>Listed below is a summary of the games results in recent Head-to-Head matchups.</TH></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupBorder><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupHeader>Games over the last 3 seasons</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupCells>HOUSTON is 24-15 (+1.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons </TD></TR><TR><TD class=matchupCells>20 of 38 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.4 Units)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=matchupHeader>Games this season</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupCells>PITTSBURGH is 4-2 (+3.1 Units) against HOUSTON this season </TD></TR><TR><TD class=matchupCells>4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupBorder><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupHeader>All games at PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupCells>PITTSBURGH is 11-8 (+6.7 Units) against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons </TD></TR><TR><TD class=matchupCells>12 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=matchupHeader>Games played at PITTSBURGH this season.</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=matchupCells>PITTSBURGH is 2-1 (+1.2 Units) against HOUSTON this season </TD></TR><TR><TD class=matchupCells>2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#cccccc border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=text bgColor=#ffffff height=15><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=text bgColor=#cccccc height=15>RECENT TRENDS </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom bgColor=#ffffff><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><!--string holder for the string builder containing the trends rows --><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle width=12 bgColor=#ffffff>•</TD><TD class=arial_11px bgColor=#ffffff>Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle width=12 bgColor=#ffffff>•</TD><TD class=arial_11px bgColor=#ffffff>HOU is 0-5 in Astacio's last five starts.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle width=12 bgColor=#ffffff>•</TD><TD class=arial_11px bgColor=#ffffff>HOU is 1-3 in their last four on the road.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle width=12 bgColor=#ffffff>•</TD><TD class=arial_11px bgColor=#ffffff>PIT is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in PIT.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle width=12 bgColor=#ffffff>•</TD><TD class=arial_11px bgColor=#ffffff>Over is 7-3-1 in PIT last 11 at home.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle width=12 bgColor=#ffffff>•</TD><TD class=arial_11px bgColor=#ffffff>Home team is 9-1 in Scott's last 10 BHP.</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=arial_11px align=middle bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2 height=3><SPACER height="3" type="block"></SPACER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=text bgColor=#ffffff><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#cccccc><TD class=text colSpan=3 height=15></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%" bgColor=#999999 border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#b0c2d9><TD class=frontheaders_black colSpan=8>Bullpens | In Depth </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top bgColor=#ecece4><TD class=mbt> </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4 colSpan=3></TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4 rowSpan=7> </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4 colSpan=3></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top bgColor=#ecece4><TD class=mbt> </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>IP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>WHIP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>ERA</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>IP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>WHIP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>ERA</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=mbt bgColor=#ecece4>HOU</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>199.1</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.26</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>3.70</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>199.1</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.26</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>3.70</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=mbt bgColor=#ecece4>Last 3</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>22.0</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>0.86</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.23</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>22.0</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>0.86</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.23</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top bgColor=#ecece4><TD class=mbt> </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>IP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>WHIP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>ERA</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>IP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>WHIP</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>ERA</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=mbt bgColor=#ecece4>PIT</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>196.1</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.47</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>3.94</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>196.1</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.47</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>3.94</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=mbt bgColor=#ecece4>Last 3</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>22.0</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.86</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>6.95</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>22.0</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>1.86</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>6.95</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%" bgColor=#999999 border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#b0c2d9><TD class=frontheaders_black colSpan=7>Umpire | Profile | vs. Team/Pitchers </TD></TR><TR><TD class=mbt bgColor=#ecece4> </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>W/L</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>O/U</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>Runs</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>Str. %</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>HR</TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ecece4>Pit.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=mbt bgColor=#ecece4>Dale Scott </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>14-4 </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>8-9 </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>9.33 </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>63.0 </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>2.3 </TD><TD class=mbt align=right bgColor=#ffffff>283.5</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


These numbers dont look good for either side...but:
Gonna stay w/ the hot team here...Houston!!

May 2005: 33-54 -10.79
June 2005: 39-31 +10.89
July 2005: 38-26 +14.46

<TABLE class=module borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=670 border=0 rgfloat="440,600"><TBODY><TR class=modulebody><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>HOU E ASTACIO -R</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>-1½ +158</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left> </TD></TR><TR class=modulebody><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>PIT I SNELL -R/HOU E ASTACIO -R Under</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>u9 +110</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left> </TD></TR><TR class=modulebody><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>HOU E ASTACIO (1ST 5 INN)</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>+½ -135</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left> </TD></TR><TR class=modulebody><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>PIT I SNELL (1ST 5 INN)/HOU E ASTACIO (1ST 5 INN) Under</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left>u5 +105</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom" noWrap align=left> </TD></TR><TR class=modulebody><TD colSpan=5> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Nice To See H-town Jump Out To An Early Lead 1-0.............

Make That 3 Runs

Make that 3-0...bot 2ndarty: