The Houston Astros will face off against a familiar face on Saturday night, as Houston looks to snap an ugly 11 game losing streak. Wandy Rodriguez will make his Pittsburgh Pirates debut, as the Astros face off for the first time against their 2012 Opening Day starter.
Rodriguez was traded by the Astros earlier this week in exchange for a trio of prospects, perhaps headlined by Robbie Grossman. Rodriguez pitched well for the Astros, going 7-9, with a 3.79 ERA and 1.27 WHIP prior to the trade. Each and every one of Rodriguez' 1,306 and 2/3 innings prior to Saturday night had been with the Astros, so it will be a bit jarring to Astros fans to see Rodriguez in a different uniform.
Armando Galarraga, perhaps best known for his non-perfect game, will make his Astros debut on Saturday night. Galarraga has pitched decently in AAA for the Astros, with a 3-2 record and 4.12 ERA. We'll see if he can help snap Houston's horrendous 11 game losing streak, which has included three consecutive ninth inning meltdowns.
Televised coverage of Saturday's game can be found on FOX Sports Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT.
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