GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: HOUSTON (41-55) at PITTSBURGH (40-55)

NL: HOUSTON (41-55) at PITTSBURGH (40-55)

<h3>Maholm, Pirates look to snap seven-game skid</h3>



Houston (41-55) at Pittsburgh (40-55) 7:15 pm EDT


PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Paul Maholm takes the hill for thePittsburgh Pirates on Saturday as they try and snap aseason-high seven-game losing streak.


Maholm will look to lead Pittsburgh to its first win since July8 when they face the Houston Astros in the middle game of athree-game series.


Maholm (5-12, 4.68 ERA), who is tied for the major league leadin losses, was solid in his last outing on Sunday, limiting theAtlanta Braves to three runs - two earned - and eight hits insix innings but lost, 5-1.


Pittsburgh went just 1-for-14 with runners in scoring positionand left the bases loaded in the ninth as they fell, 2-1, onFriday.


However, the win proved costly for Houston, which lost ace RoyOswalt after six innings because of a rib cage injury. TheAll-Star allowed just one run and seven hits and Carlos Lee hita two-run homer as the Astros won for just the second time ineight games.


The Pirates have some hope as they have won six of seven againstHouston this season. In addition to that, Maholm was impressivein his only start against the Astros, limiting them to threehits in a three-hit shutout on April 21.


Wandy Rodriguez (6-8, 4.33) gets the ball for the Astros andwill try to rebound after seeing his scoreless streak of 16innings obliterated by the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Rodriguez, who threw a four-hit shutout in an outing against theNew York Mets on July 6, was rocked for seven runs and ninehits in 3 1/3 innings - his shortest outing of the season - in a7-6 loss to Chicago.

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON AT PITTSBURGH -- LINEUPS

HOUSTON PITTSBURGH
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
Chris Burke RF .237 2 11 Matt Kata 3B .200 0 1
Hunter Pence CF .328 12 44 Freddy Sanchez 2B .295 4 34
Mark Loretta 2B .310 2 30 Adam Laroche 1B .240 14 54
Carlos Lee LF .296 19 80 Xavier Nady CF .283 14 51
Morgan Ensberg 3B .232 7 26 Jason Bay LF .247 13 58
Mike Lamb 1B .296 9 27 Ryan Doumit RF .299 7 27
Eric Bruntlett SS .280 0 4 Ronny Paulino C .240 5 25
Brad Ausmus C .246 2 19 Jack Wilson SS .252 4 26
Wandy Rodriguez LHP .179 0 1 Paul Maholm LHP .176 0 4
(6-8, 4.33) (5-12, 4.68)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL AT PITTSBURGH
WARMUPS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ (6-8, 4.33)
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM (5-12, 4.68)

UMPIRES: HP - ED RAPUANO
1B - ED HICKOX
2B - C.B. BUCKNOR
3B - JOE WEST

WEATHER: 75 Degrees, partly cloudy
WIND: 8 mph, out to right</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL AT PITTSBURGH
NOTE: THE START OF THE GAME IS BEING DELAYED DUE TO
CEREMONIES.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL AT PITTSBURGH -- REVISED WARMUPS
WARMUPS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ (6-8, 4.33)
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM (5-12, 4.68)

UMPIRES: HP - ED RAPUANO
1B - ED HICKOX
2B - C.B. BUCKNOR
3B - JOE WEST

WEATHER: 75 Degrees, partly cloudy
WIND: 8 mph, out to right</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL AT PITTSBURGH
NOTE: THE GAME IS UNDERWAY AFTER A 11 MINUTE DELAY.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL AT PITTSBURGH
STARTING BATS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ AND BRAD AUSMUS
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM AND RONNY PAULINO

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C BURKE (.237, 2 HR, 11 RBI)
H PENCE (.328, 12 HR, 44 RBI)
M LORETTA (.310, 2 HR, 30 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 2 0
PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM

DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: M KATA (.200, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
F SANCHEZ (.295, 4 HR, 34 RBI)
A LAROCHE (.240, 14 HR, 54 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS PITTSBURGH (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
H Pence cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .330
M Loretta 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .312
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231
M Lamb 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .296
E Bruntlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
B Ausmus c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246
W Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .179

Totals 5 0 2 0 0 2 4

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ensberg 1. Team LOB - 2.



PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Kata 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200
F Sanchez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295
A LaRoche 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
X Nady cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .283
J Bay lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
R Doumit rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
R Paulino c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
J Wilson ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252
P Maholm p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 0 -- 0
PITTSBURGH - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.33

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
P Maholm 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 4.64

Pitches-strikes: P Maholm 19-14. Ground balls-fly balls: P Maholm 0-1.
Batters faced: P Maholm 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Ed Rapuano. 1B--Ed Hickox. 2B--C.B. Bucknor. 3B--Joe West.

(Plus ceremonies delay totaling 11 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 74 degrees,
partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL AT PITTSBURGH
CONFIRMED STARTERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 2 0
PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M LAMB (.296, 9 HR, 27 RBI)
E BRUNTLETT (.280, 0 HR, 4 RBI)
B AUSMUS (.246, 2 HR, 19 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS PITTSBURGH (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
H Pence cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .330
M Loretta 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .312
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231
M Lamb 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .296
E Bruntlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
B Ausmus c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246
W Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .179

Totals 5 0 2 0 0 2 4

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ensberg 1. Team LOB - 2.



PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Kata 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .182
F Sanchez 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .295
A LaRoche 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239
X Nady cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .283
J Bay lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
R Doumit rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
R Paulino c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
J Wilson ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252
P Maholm p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 2 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 0 -- 0
PITTSBURGH - 0 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.29

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
P Maholm 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 4.64

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 18-12; P Maholm 19-14. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 1-0; P Maholm 0-1. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 3; P Maholm 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Ed Rapuano. 1B--Ed Hickox. 2B--C.B. Bucknor. 3B--Joe West.

(Plus ceremonies delay totaling 11 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 74 degrees,
partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 3 0
PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM

DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: X NADY (.283, 14 HR, 51 RBI)
J BAY (.247, 13 HR, 58 RBI)
R DOUMIT (.299, 7 HR, 27 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS PITTSBURGH (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
H Pence cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .330
M Loretta 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .312
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231
M Lamb 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .300
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .275
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .245
W Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .179

Totals 8 0 3 0 0 2 5

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ensberg 1. GIDP - E
Bruntlett. Team LOB - 2.


PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Kata 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .182
F Sanchez 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .295
A LaRoche 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239
X Nady cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .283
J Bay lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
R Doumit rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
R Paulino c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
J Wilson ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252
P Maholm p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 2 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (A LaRoche-J Wilson-A LaRoche).


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 00 -- 0
PITTSBURGH - 0 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.29

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
P Maholm 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 4.60

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 18-12; P Maholm 27-19. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 1-0; P Maholm 2-2. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 3; P Maholm 8.

UMPIRES: HP--Ed Rapuano. 1B--Ed Hickox. 2B--C.B. Bucknor. 3B--Joe West.

(Plus ceremonies delay totaling 11 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 74 degrees,
partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 3 0
PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 0 0 (TOP 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: W RODRIGUEZ (.179, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
C BURKE (.235, 0-FOR-1)
H PENCE (.330, 1-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS PITTSBURGH (0) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
H Pence cf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .330
M Loretta 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .312
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231
M Lamb 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .300
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .275
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .245
W Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .179

Totals 8 0 3 0 0 2 5

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ensberg 1. GIDP - E
Bruntlett. Team LOB - 2.


PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Kata 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .182
F Sanchez 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .295
A LaRoche 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239
X Nady cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282
J Bay lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246
R Doumit rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .297
R Paulino c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
J Wilson ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252
P Maholm p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176

Totals 6 0 0 0 0 3 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (A LaRoche-J Wilson-A LaRoche).


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 00 -- 0
PITTSBURGH - 00 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 4.25

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
P Maholm 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 4.60

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 34-22; P Maholm 27-19. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 2-1; P Maholm 2-2. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 6; P Maholm 8.

UMPIRES: HP--Ed Rapuano. 1B--Ed Hickox. 2B--C.B. Bucknor. 3B--Joe West.

(Plus ceremonies delay totaling 11 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 74 degrees,
partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0 3 0
PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 0 0 (BOT 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM

DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: R PAULINO (.240, 5 HR, 25 RBI)
J WILSON (.252, 4 HR, 26 RBI)
P MAHOLM (.176, 0 HR, 4 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS PITTSBURGH (0) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke rf 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234
H Pence cf 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .329
M Loretta 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .312
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231
M Lamb 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .300
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .275
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .245
W Rodriguez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .172

Totals 11 0 3 0 0 2 5

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ensberg 1. GIDP - E
Bruntlett. Team LOB - 2.


PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Kata 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .182
F Sanchez 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .295
A LaRoche 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239
X Nady cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282
J Bay lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246
R Doumit rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .297
R Paulino c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240
J Wilson ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .252
P Maholm p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176

Totals 6 0 0 0 0 3 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (A LaRoche-J Wilson-A LaRoche).


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 000 -- 0
PITTSBURGH - 00 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 4.25

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
P Maholm 3 3 0 0 0 2 0 4.56

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 34-22; P Maholm 41-27. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 2-1; P Maholm 3-4. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 6; P Maholm 11.

UMPIRES: HP--Ed Rapuano. 1B--Ed Hickox. 2B--C.B. Bucknor. 3B--Joe West.

(Plus ceremonies delay totaling 11 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 74 degrees,
partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0 3 0
PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 0 0 0 (TOP 4)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
PIT - PAUL MAHOLM

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M LORETTA (.312, 1-FOR-1)
C LEE (.296, 0-FOR-1)
M ENSBERG (.231, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS PITTSBURGH (0) - END 3RD - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke rf 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234
H Pence cf 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .329
M Loretta 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .312
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231
M Lamb 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .300
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .275
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .245
W Rodriguez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .172

Totals 11 0 3 0 0 2 5

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Ensberg 1. GIDP - E
Bruntlett. Team LOB - 2.


PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Kata 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .182
F Sanchez 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .295
A LaRoche 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239
X Nady cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282
J Bay lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246
R Doumit rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .297
R Paulino c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239
J Wilson ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251
P Maholm p 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .171

Totals 9 0 0 0 0 4 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (A LaRoche-J Wilson-A LaRoche).


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 000 -- 0
PITTSBURGH - 000 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 3 0 0 0 0 4 0 4.22

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
P Maholm 3 3 0 0 0 2 0 4.56

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 44-30; P Maholm 41-27. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 2-3; P Maholm 3-4. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 9; P Maholm 11.

UMPIRES: HP--Ed Rapuano. 1B--Ed Hickox. 2B--C.B. Bucknor. 3B--Joe West.

(Plus ceremonies delay totaling 11 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 74 degrees,
partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, out to right.</div>