Phillies-Astros Preview

5/24/2008 11:44 PM

By DAN PIERINGER
STATS Writer

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels has been so effective lately, manager Charlie Manuel suggested the left-hander could challenge a 20-year-old record.

There's a good chance Manuel wasn't taking into account the Houston Astros, who have notched dramatic wins in the last two games of this series to continue their dominance at home.

Hamels looks to extend his streak of consecutive scoreless innings in the series finale on Sunday against an Astros team that has won 12 of 15 at Minute Maid Park.

Hamels (5-3, 2.61 ERA) has been among the best starters in the NL all season, ranking second in ERA and third with 65 strikeouts. He's been particularly strong lately, however, holding opponents scoreless with eight hits over 16 innings while striking out 17 in his last two starts.

Dating to a win over San Francisco on May 9, Hamels has pitched 19 consecutive scoreless innings. He's still 40 innings shy of Orel Hershiser's 1988 record of 59, but that didn't stop Manuel from making the leap.

"He might get Hershiser's record," Manuel said after Hamels helped the Phillies (27-24) to a 1-0 win over Washington on Tuesday.

Despite his hot streak, Hamels isn't looking that far ahead.

"That's the last thing I even worry about," the left-hander told the Phillies' official Web site. "I know that's nowhere close. I'm the type of pitcher that is going to give up a home run every once in a while. When you throw the ball over the plate as much as I do, they're going to get those hits."

The Astros (29-22) have won each of the last two games of this four-game series by 4-3 scores, moving seven games above .500 for the first time since May 7, 2006.

Houston escaped a ninth-inning jam Saturday night when left fielder Darin Erstad turned a potential sacrifice fly into a double play by making a perfect throw home to catcher Brad Ausmus. Ausmus tagged out Pedro Feliz at the plate to seal the victory.

"Any time you get a win like that, either with a walk-off (hit), or with big plays at the end, the momentum rides with you and the guys think they can win any game," said Astros manager Cecil Cooper, whose club is 6-0 in one-run games in May after dropping seven of 10 such contests in April.

The Astros are 12-3 at home since April 20, and 16-6 overall in May. It could be tough improving those marks against Hamels, who's 3-0 with a 3.14 ERA in four career starts against Houston - all Philadelphia wins.

However, the Astros are batting .296 batting against left-handers this season, thanks in part to first baseman Lance Berkman (.422), shortstop Miguel Tejada (.372) and outfielder Hunter Pence (.326).

Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard is 8-for-18 with four home runs and nine RBIs in his last four games.

He'll try to continue that surge against Houston's Chris Sampson (3-3, 5.91), who held the Chicago Cubs to two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-2 win on Tuesday.

The right-hander is 0-2 with a 6.19 ERA in four career games - three starts - against the Phillies.