Astros-Dodgers Preview

5/11/2008 1:38 AM

By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer

Lance Berkman has seemed quite comfortable hitting in Dodger Stadium the past two seasons. He has certainly been at ease at the plate over the past week, regardless of the venue.

Berkman, on an incredible tear, looks to lead the Houston Astros to their first series sweep on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers in nearly 16 years when the teams conclude a three-game set Sunday.

Berkman went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run as Houston (20-17) beat Los Angeles (19-17) 5-0 on Saturday night. He is 11-for-22 with one home run, three doubles and seven runs in his six games at Dodger Stadium over the past two seasons.

Having outscored Los Angeles 12-1 in the first two games of this series, the Astros have a chance at a sweep at Dodger Stadium for the first time since a three-game set from Sept. 25-27, 1992.

With Berkman clicking at the plate, Houston seems to have an excellent opportunity to end that drought. The veteran first baseman has 20 hits in his last 27 at-bats, raising his average from .295 to .386.

"This is just incredible," Astros manager Cecil Cooper told the team's official Web site. "The guy's just a good player. I'm sure the ball's looking awful big to him. Every day, it's been something. It's been incredible. I don't know how to explain it."

Berkman leads the National League with 35 RBIs, 39 runs and 28 extra-base hits, anchoring an Astros team that has won eight of its last 10. Houston has scored six runs or more seven times during that span.

But Berkman and the Astros have never faced Hiroki Kuroda (1-2, 3.95 ERA), who will take the mound for Los Angeles on Sunday. Kuroda has given up three runs or less in four of his seven starts, but he struggled in his last outing.

The right-hander gave up four runs - two earned - and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings as Los Angeles beat the New York Mets 5-4 on Tuesday night. Kuroda retired only nine of the 22 batters he faced.

Houston will counter with Shawn Chacon (0-0, 3.60 ERA), who has not received a decision in seven starts this season.

The right-hander gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings as the Astros beat Washington 6-5 on Tuesday night. He has a 6.75 ERA in his last two starts.

Chacon is 4-7 with a 5.85 ERA in 12 starts and eight relief appearances against the Dodgers, who have been struggling at the plate. Los Angeles has lost three straight, scoring just two runs in that span, after winning 12 of its previous 15.

The Dodgers are in danger of matching their longest losing streak of the season, set from April 7-11.

Los Angeles' lineup has struggled partly because Rafael Furcal has missed four straight games with a sore lower back. The shortstop, batting a team-high .366, will be a game-time decision.

"Every game is important, but you don't want to lose sight of how important this game is in the course of a long season," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "He's too valuable to lose."

Left fielder Juan Pierre has been batting leadoff in place of Furcal.

The No. 2 spot in the Dodgers' lineup, meanwhile, remains unsettled. Third baseman Blake DeWitt became the seventh different player to bat in the second spot for Los Angeles this season, and the fifth in as many games.