VENUE: Nationals Park
The Houston Astros' 50th anniversary season continues to be one to forget.
Looking to slow the march toward their first 100-loss campaign, the Astros meet the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
Should Houston (48-95) get swept in the weekend series, it would set a single-season franchise record for losses. The Astros have had 97 losses three times (1965, 1975 and 1991),
Outscored 19-9 in a three-game losing streak at Nationals Park, Houston has dropped 11 of its last 15 in the nation's capital.
The team is coming off perhaps one of the most frustrating losses of 2011. Behind homers from Carlos Lee, Matt Downs and Clint Barmes, Houston twice held three-run leads Wednesday, but lost 5-4 to Pittsburgh for its fifth defeat in six games.
"That was our game to win," manager Brad Mills said. "We've had a few tough ones to lose, and that definitely is one of them."
The Astros' 85 homers are the second fewest in the NL, and Lee's lack of longball production is a reason why they're approaching new levels of futility.
Lee has a team-high 15 homers, his fewest since hitting 16 as a rookie with the Chicago White Sox in 1991. A former left fielder now playing first base, Lee averaged 27.5 homers in his first four seasons with the Astros.
Washington (65-76) dropped a season-high 11 games below .500 with a 7-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a scheduled doubleheader Thursday. The nightcap was washed out by rain and is not expected to be made up.
Closer Drew Storen, who has 34 saves in 39 chances, gave up three runs in the top of the ninth, matching his total over the previous 10 games.
"We haven't had a whole lot of leads - so his work has been spotty. Sometimes that causes some command problems," manager Davey Johnson said.
Washington dropped two of three at Houston in July, and will first face Bud Norris (6-9, 3.83 ERA), who will try to end a lengthy winless streak on the road.
The right-hander is 0-1 in five second-half starts away from home, but has posted a 2.30 ERA in that span. Norris won his only career start against the Nationals, allowing two runs in 6 2-3 innings of an 8-2 victory on Sept. 20, 2010, in Washington.
Facing Milwaukee last Saturday at Minute Maid Park, Norris was charged with a season high-tying six runs in 5 1-3 innings of the 8-2 loss.
Following a successful major league debut at the plate, Tommy Milone (0-0, 8.31) hopes to fare better on the mound for the Nationals.
The left-hander belted a three-run homer on the first pitch he saw Saturday against the New York Mets, but was reached for four runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings and left without a decision before Washington rallied for an 8-7 win.
"I thought there was a lot more adrenaline pumping after something like that happens," Milone said after being the fourth player in franchise history to go deep in his first plate appearance. "I just tried to keep my composure and go out there still pitch my game."
