Since sweeping the Cardinals, the Astros have lost three straight series (vs Mets, @ Cubs, @ Cardinals) and are 3-7 in that span, losing 3.5 games on the division leaders.
Mike Hampton
Ah jeez. It's been since July 6 - four starts - that Hampton has thrown a quality start. That's a 1-3 record, with a 10.42 ERA, and batters hitting .405/.467/.620 against him.
Last three starts:
| Date-Opp | IP | H/ER | K:BB | GB/FB | Pit/Str |
| 7/18 @LAD | 5.2 | 7/4 | 4:2 | 9/9 | 92/56 |
| 7/24 vNYM | 5.2 | 8/4 | 7:4 | 8/8 | 101/64 |
| 7/29 @CHC | 4 | 8/9 | 1:4 | 6/13 | 79/46 |
Let's see what happens if Hampton can't get out of the 3rd, or gives up another nine runs. But check out his numbers vs San Francisco. Of course, this is tilted heavily from his time in Colorado and his Astrodome days in the 1990s:
vs. SF (career): 15-4, 3.59 ERA/1.30 WHIP, 158IP, 143H/63ER, 86K:62BB
Home (2009): 3-3, 5.04 ERA/1.58 WHIP, 50IP, 59H/28ER, 33K:20BB
Let's do the splits:
vs Righties: .304/.384/.468, 37K:37BB
vs Lefties: .250/.282/.438, 28K:5BB
When swinging at the first pitch (54): .348/.333/.717, 9XBH
After First-Pitch Strikes (202): .279/.310/.437, 44K:8BB
After First-Pitch Balls (176): .286/.423/.407, 21K:34BB
RISP: 31x95, .326/.404/.537, 17K:15BB
Runners on: 49x157, .312/.398/.522, 30K:25BB
2OwRISP: 18x46, .391/.481/.674, 6K:8BB
So we see the key for Hampton here is to not throw balls. Ever.
Matt Cain
Did you know that Matt Cain in 2007/2008 put together ERAs of 3.64 and 3.76 and only had a 15-30 record? Well all that is being turned around this season. Cain (who might be the most underrated pitcher in the National League) and his 12-2 record (league-leading .857 winning percentage) and 2.12 ERA, gets the ball for the Giants.
Last three starts:
| Date-Opp | IP | H/ER | K:BB | GB/FB | Pit/Str |
| 7/19 @PIT | 7 | 5/1 | 8:2 | 10/7 | 107/72 |
| 7/24 @COL | 7 | 3/1 | 5:4 | 6/11 | 117/67 |
| 7/29 vPIT | 9 | 3/0 | 4:2 | 10/15 | 111/75 |
It's been since June 26 that Cain last lost (and May 26 before that), and that was also the last time Cain allowed more than one earned run. Uh-oh.
vs. HOU (career): 1-1, 3.00 ERA/1.20 WHIP, 15IP, 12H/5ER, 14K:6BB
Let's do the splits:
vs Righties: .239/.331/.380, 55K:32BB
vs Lefties: .207/.267/.310, 57K:22BB
When swinging at the first pitch (56): .346/.340/.519, 7XBH
After First-Pitch Strikes (287): .193/.232/.283, 83K:13BB
After First-Pitch Balls (219): .230/.375/.385, 29K:41BB
RISP: 14x97, .144/.256/.216, 29K:16BB
Runners on: 30x194, .155/.247/.232, 48K:25BB
2OwRISP: 4x48, .083/.267/.125, 17K:12BB
