Astros-Brewers Preview - MLB

Houston (35-71) at Milwaukee (58-49)
It’s been a rough season for the Houston Astros. It could get even rockier without Hunter Pence(notes).

Less than 24 hours after their two-time All-Star right fielder was traded to Philadelphia, the visiting Astros continue their series against the NL

 Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.
Three days after falling 37 games below .500 for the first time since 1963 when the club was known as the Colt .45s, the major league-worst Astros (35-71) lost their best player Friday when they dealt Pence for three minor leaguers. Two of those prospects - right-hander Jarred Cosart and first baseman Jonathan Singleton - were rated among the best in the Phillies’ system, but replacing the face of the franchise and the team leader in home runs (11) and RBIs (62) could be a challenge.

“The Astros are going to get some great players,” said Pence, who was removed in the fifth inning of Houston’s 4-0 series-opening defeat. “It’s a new chapter for them …”

Houston was in a similar position exactly one year ago when it traded another career Astro - Roy Oswalt(notes) - to Philadelphia. J.A. Happ(notes) (4-12, 6.12 ERA), who was acquired in that four-player deal, will get the ball Saturday.

The left-hander, who had an outstanding Astros debut by throwing six innings of two-hit ball in a 5-0 home win over Milwaukee on July 30, 2010, is struggling in his first full season with the club. Happ has allowed five or more runs in his last six starts and has the second-most losses in the NL.

“He falls behind - he’s not trying to - it’s hard to pitch without controlling the count,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told the Astros’ official website after Happ gave up six runs in 4 2-3 innings of Monday’s 10-5 loss at St. Louis.

Happ, 1-7 with an 8.02 ERA in nine road starts, will face a Brewers team trying to post its first five-game winning streak since a season-best 6-0 run May 20-25.

Milwaukee’s starters have allowed three runs or fewer in 19 of 20 games.

“It is nice for us because we don’t have to concentrate on scoring five runs every night because our staff has been so good going deep in the game and our bullpen has been as good as anyone in baseball,” right fielder Corey Hart(notes) said.

The Brewers (58-49) will go for their sixth straight victory at Miller Park with Yovani Gallardo(notes) (11-7, 3.89) on the mound. The right-hander is looking to rebound following a 2-1 loss at San Francisco on Sunday when he threw seven-innings of two-hit ball.

”.. being able to go through seven and keep us in the game, I gave it all I’ve got,” Gallardo, who has the NL’s second-highest run-support average at 6.23, told the Brewers’ official website after throwing 121 pitches.

Gallardo is 7-1 with a 3.23 ERA in 10 home starts and has won his last five overall against the Astros after striking out seven in six innings of a 14-7 home victory April 22.

Astros center fielder Michael Bourn(notes), 10 for 24 off Gallardo, will look to get back on track after his career-high 13-game hitting streak ended with Friday’s 0-for-4 effort.

Ryan Braun(notes) is hitless in his last eight at-bats off Astros pitching, but he is still hitting .341 with 21 homers and 60 RBIs in 62 career games versus Houston.

Braun is 1 for 9 with a homer off Happ.