LT Profits
Houston Astros (100)
Wed Apr 15 '09 7:05p
The Houston Astros are off to a 1-6 start mainly due to a lack of offense, but we look for them to bust out a bit tonight vs. Ross Ohlendorf and the Pittsburgh Pirates.Granted, Ohlendorf looked decent in his first start this year vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, but he was brutal in his two starts vs. the Astros last season. He was charged with four earned runs in five innings in his one start vs. Houston here at home, but he pitched much worse than that while allowing 10 hits and two walks. His other start against Houston was simply awful, as he was touched up for six earned runs and nine hits while lasting only four innings.The Astros counter with Mike Hampton, who is healthy to begin a season for the first time in about four years. While he was not tremendous in his first start this year vs. St. Louis, he was not terrible either, allowing three runs and four hits in five innings. His undoing was four walks which raised his pitch count, but on the positive side, he also had five strikeouts.Hampton is now facing a Pittsburgh lineup that is batting .222 vs. left-handed pitching in the early going (compared to .264 vs. right-handers), and we look for him to pitch well enough to get the Astros their second win of the year.
Astros +100