Astros vie to end season-long struggles vs. Brewers

Baseball Betting Lines

08/11/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers may be struggling at the moment, but they've had little trouble when facing the Houston Astros this season. The current National League Central leaders aim for a fifth consecutive victory over their division rivals when the teams clash again tonight at Minute Maid Park.

Milwaukee has now taken eight of 10 meetings with the Astros in 2007 following Friday's extra-inning decision in the opener of this three-game series. Corey Hart tripled home Rickie Weeks with two outs in the top of the 11th to give the Brewers a much-needed 5-4 victory.

Weeks worked a two-out walk off Brian Moehler (1-4) before Hart laced a pitch into the right-field corner to put Milwaukee in front. Francisco Cordero then came on to strike out the side in the bottom half of the frame to earn his 35th save.

The Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak and remained a half-game in front of Chicago, which defeated Colorado on Friday, for first place in the division.

Prince Fielder hit his NL-leading 35th homer and J.J. Hardy also went deep for Milwaukee, which also received a two-run double from Bill Hall.

Luke Scott was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer for the Astros, who had a three- game win streak halted. Starting pitcher Jason Jennings surrendered four runs on just three hits -- two of which were homers -- in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Although Milwaukee has enjoyed great success in the season series, the Brewers figure to be tested tonight by Houston hurler Wandy Rodriguez, who's been tremendous on the Minute Maid Park mound this season.

Rodriguez has surrendered a mere three runs in 38 2/3 innings over his last five home starts and the Astros have emerged victorious in each of those contests. The left-hander owns an impressive 6-2 record with a 1.69 earned run average in 11 overall outings at Minute Maid Park in 1007.

He did have a four-start home win streak snapped on Monday, although Rodriguez put together another stellar performance. He limited the Cubs to one run and four hits while recording a career-best nine strikeouts over eight innings, but left with the game tied at 1-1.

Rodriguez has not fared well in two previous starts versus Milwaukee this season, both of which came on the road. The 28-year-old lost both games and surrendered a total of 12 runs in 11 innings of work.

For his career Rodriguez is 2-4 with a 5.60 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) against the Brewers.

Jeff Suppan attempts to build off two very good outings when he takes the mound tonight for Milwaukee. The veteran righty held Philadelphia to one run and five hits over 5 2/3 innings last Sunday, but was denied a victory when the Phillies rallied for five ninth-inning runs against the Brewer bullpen.

Prior to that start, Suppan allowed two runs and six hits over 6 1/3 frames in a no decision against the Mets on July 31.

Suppan is just 2-6 with a 4.71 ERA in 12 lifetime games (11 starts) against Houston and hasn't fared real well on the road this year. He brings a 3-7 record with a 5.80 ERA in 12 away starts into this evening's tilt.

The Brewers have struggled away from home as a team as well. Milwaukee has lost 14 of its last 18 on the road and is just 22-35 as the visitor this season.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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