McDonald hopes to continue strong season versus Astros
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Breakout right-hander James McDonald can continue a stellar first half of 2012 tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Houston Astros in game one of a four-game set at PNC Park.
The 27-year-old Californian, who won a career-high nine games in 31 starts for the Pirates in 2011, moved within two wins of the personal-best number when he tossed 5 2/3 innings in an 11-7 defeat of Philadelphia on June 27.
The win was his second in a row and fifth in six decisions since mid-May, when he improved to 3-2 on the season with a 5-3 triumph at Washington on May 17.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Defeats of Cincinnati and Milwaukee followed and the stretch was only interrupted by a tough-luck 2-0 loss at Cleveland on June 15, in which McDonald allowed only a run on three hits in six innings.
He's been particularly effective at home, going 3-1 in eight starts while posting a stingy 1.63 earned run average in 55 1/3 innings.
The only loss in Pittsburgh was against the Astros, who beat him, 1-0, after he allowed a run on four hits with eight strikeouts in eight innings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tonight, he'll be opposed by 21-year-old Houston righty Jordan Lyles, who makes the 10th start of his second big-league season.
The North Carolina native was 2-8 in 20 appearances as a rookie last year, posting a 5.36 ERA across 94 innings - including a 5-4 loss against the Pirates in Houston on June 16.
It's his lone career meeting with Pittsburgh.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lyles was a 5-3 winner over San Diego in his last start on June 26, but is 0-2 in five road starts so far this season.
On Sunday in Chicago, Travis Wood pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and the Cubs finished off a three-game sweep, beating the Astros by a 3-0 count at Wrigley Field.
Wandy Rodriguez (6-6) was a hard-luck loser for the Astros, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out three and walked just one but Houston dropped its fourth straight overall.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}J.D. Martinez and Carlos Lee were the only Astros to reach second base. Martinez hit a leadoff double to start the fifth, but he was stranded after Matt Downs, Brian Bogusevic and Brian Bixler failed to score him. Lee failed to score after delivering a two-out double in the ninth.
In St. Louis, Allen Craig hit a two-run homer and Yadier Molina added a solo shot as the Cardinals edged the Pirates, 5-4, to avoid a three-game series sweep.
Erik Bedard (4-9) gave up five runs on eight hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings to take the loss for Pittsburgh, which saw its four-game win streak come to an end.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Michael McKenry had a three-run home run in a losing effort.
The Pirates won two of three from the Astros in a May series at PNC Park and 11 of 18 games between the teams last season. Houston last won the season series in 2010, taking 11 of 15 games.