The Astros head back to Oakland for their second series against the A's as they finish up the current roadtrip. Tonight's G13 starts at 9:05pm Central and can be seen on MLB.tv if you don't live in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, or Eastern New Mexico.
After winning nine straight games, the A's dropped their last two against Detroit by a combined score of 17-4. They are currently a game up on the Rangers for 1st place in the AL West.
The Astros got swept in Games 4-6 against Oakland, which were at Minute Maid Park. In those three games, the Astros hit .223/.259/.311, with 31K:5BB, six extra-base hits, and 18 LOBsters. The A's hit .291/.386/.527 with 15K:15BB, 12 extra-base hits, and 24 LOBsters. Incidentally, Oakland is 8-1 all-time against Houston.
Taking the mound for Oakland is...
*26-year old 6'0" 205lb LHP Tommy Milone. He was drafted in the 10th Round of the 2008 draft by the Washington Nationals, one pick ahead of the Astros' Jarred Holloway (who pitched a total of 48.2IP in 2008 and was released after the season.)
*2012 was Milone's first full season in the Majors. After compiling a 37-22 record in four seasons in the minors (3.05 ERA/1.14 WHIP), Milone was acquired by the A's in the December 2011 Gio Gonzalez trade with the Nationals (along with now-Stro Brad Peacock).
*In 190IP, he had a 3.74 ERA/1.28 WHIP with 137K:36BB and allowed 24 homers in 31 starts. He posted a 3.93 FIP and a 4.02 xFIP.
*Interestingly enough, on September 3, 2011, Tommy Milone became the 27th player in major league history to hit a homer on the first pitch of his first Major-League At-Bat.
*Even more interesting, former Astros Charlton Jimerson and Dave Matranga are on that list, as well.
*So far in 2013, he's 2-0 with 11H/6ER, 9K:4BB, 2HR (both homers came against the Mariners in Oakland) in 12IP.
*He has thrown 126 of his 208 pitches for strikes, getting 13 groundball outs, 24 flyball outs, and nine line drive outs.
*Once again the "versus Houston" sample size is incredibly small. But in 14 plate appearances, current Astros are 1x9. Carlos Pena and Bud Norris are the only Astros to have an RBI against Milone.
*Milone has some deceptive stuff. His fastball sits at 86.4mph, with a 79.9mph changeup, a 75.3mph curve, and an 84.8mph cutter.
Erik Bedard has about as much experience against the A's as the Astros do against Milone. Coco Crisp is the only batter with 10+ PAs against Bedard - he's 1x15 with 3K:1BB.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
