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Houston Astros at Pittsburgh Pirates, 6:05 PM CDT


Current Series

3 game series vs Pirates @ PNC Park

Mon 07/07 WP: Denny Bautista (2 - 1)
SV: Damaso Marte
LP: Runelvys Hernandez (0 - 3)
Mid-event

Houston Astros Red-star
@ Pittsburgh Pirates Red-star

Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008, 6:05 PM CDT
PNC Park

Brandon Backe vs Ian Snell

Mostly cloudy with a 50-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to left field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 80.

Complete Coverage >

Wed 07/09

Brian Moehler vs John Van Benschoten

6:05 PM CDT


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Brandon Backe 5-9 18 18 0 0 0 0 101.2 116 61 59 22 46 75 5.22 1.59


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Ian Snell 3-7 16 16 0 0 0 0 85.2 116 61 57 7 49 64 5.99 1.93

This game looks like it could turn into a rather high scoring affair pretty quickly. Last time out Brandon Backe went 6.2 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 7 hits with 2 home runs against the Dodgers on July 3rd. If there is one thing that Backe isn't, it's consistent. He's not consistently bad, or consistently good. He'll have a few good starts, and then a few bad starts... Unfortunately, his record is showing up more in the bad starts because he's lost almost twice as many games as he's won. If I had to guess how he'll do tonight... I'm saying he'll have a good game... He's had 2 bad starts in a row, so I guess you could say he's due.

Snell is pretty much the same story as Backe... inconsistent. Snell started off June with a 4 inning, 6 earned run outing against the Cardinals and then came back with 2 good outings(5 innings, 1 ER against the Diamondbacks and then 6 innings, 1 ER against the Nationals) and then followed up those 2 good outings with 2 bad outings(4 innings, 7 ER against the White Sox and 4 innings, 4 ER against the Blue Jays). One thing Snell has managed to do is keep the ball in the yard(only 7 home runs in 16 games), while Backe isn't(22 home runs in 18 games).

Snell is coming off the 15 day DL due to medial epicondylitis in his right elbow which is basically a medical term for inflamation in the elbow. It has also been called Golfer's Elbow or even Pitcher's Elbow. Link from wikipedia if you care.


Lineup

Houston Astros @ Pittsburgh Pirates

07/08/08 6:05 PM CDT

Houston Astros Pittsburgh Pirates
Darin Erstad - CF Nate McLouth - CF
Mark Loretta - 2B Freddy Sanchez - 2B
Lance Berkman - 1B Ryan Doumit - C
Carlos Lee - LF Jason Bay - LF
Miguel Tejada - SS Xavier Nady - RF
Hunter Pence - RF Adam LaRoche - 1B
Ty Wigginton - 3B Jose Bautista - 3B
Brad Ausmus - C Ian Snell - P
Brandon Backe - P Jack Wilson - SS

I guess Cooper likes Erstad in the 1 hole... anything is better than Bourn.