(Sports Network) – The Houston Astros take another shot at winning consecutive games for the first time this season as they continue a four-game series with the San Diego Padres tonight at Minute Maid Park.
After losing five of seven to the Padres last year, getting shut out in three of those games, the Astros turned the table in last night’s opener with a 1-0 victory. Bud Norris earned his first victory of the season with six scoreless innings and Brandon Lyon secured the triumph with his second save.
“It was nice to see Bud battle through and get a win there,” Astros manager Brad Mills said. “There was a lot of good things that happened in this ballgame.”
Michael Bourn drove in the game’s only run for the Astros, who are 3-4 on a 10-game homestand.
Dustin Moseley went 6 2/3 innings in the start for San Diego, but fell to 0-3 despite allowing just four earned runs over his last 19 2/3 innings. He gave up one run last night, but the Padres have yet to score in any of his three outings.
“It’s frustrating, but you go out there and do your job and leave it up to the hitters,” Moseley said.
Orlando Hudson extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games for the Padres, who have lost six of eight.
San Diego-born righty Aaron Harang will make his first road start of the season following two excellent home outings to begin his Padres career. He has notched a 1.50 earned run average in winning both games, including Sunday versus the Dodgers as he gave up two runs — one earned — on three hits and two walks over six innings.
The long-time Reds hurler won both of his starts a season ago versus the Astros with a 2.08 ERA and is 11-9 with a 4.55 ERA against them in his career.
Houston starter J.A. Happ rebounded from a tough season debut last time out, hurling 7 2/3 innings of one-run, four-hit ball to beat the Marlins on Sunday. That outing came just five days after getting shelled for seven runs on seven hits and five walks over four innings of a setback to Cincinnati.
“I pitched aggressively,” Happ said after the win against Florida. “I just tried to throw for strikes and had some conviction in the pitches I was throwing.”
The 28-year-old southpaw is 1-0 in one start and one relief outing in his career versus the Padres and has yet to allow a run in 10 innings of work against them.