Series Preview: Phillies @ Astros, 4/9-4/11

The Phillies are set to continue their opening week road trip in Houston, with three games this weekend. The Astros are winless after scoring just 6 runs in a 3-game series against the Giants to open the season. Houston's 643 runs scored were the lowest total in the Major Leagues last season. Houston swept the Phils in a 4-game set just last September.

Read on for pitching match up details and other key stats from this series.

Friday, 8:05pm. "Jay" Happ (12-4 record, 2.93 ERA in 2009) vs. Bud Norris (6-3 record, 4.53 ERA in 2009). In his career on the road, Happ is 8-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 20 games. Norris earned a win in his one start against the Phillies last year, when he threw 6 innings and allowed 2 runs. In 6 home starts last year, the righty Norris had a 4-2 record with a 4.70 ERA and a .295 batting average against.

Saturday, 7:05pm. Jamie Moyer (12-4 record, 4.94 ERA in 2009) vs. Felipe Paulino (3-11 record, 6.27 ERA in 2009). Initially the Phillies were expected to have their #1 starter Roy Halladay throw on Saturday and push Moyer's start to Sunday, but that is no longer the case. Moyer is 4-3 with a 3.12 ERA against Houston in 12 career games. Moyer was 6-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 14 road games last season. Paulino faced the Phils in Philadelphia late last season and earned the win, throwing 5 innings and allowing just 1 run. In 16 career home starts, Paulino is 2-6 with a 5.25 ERA.

Sunday, 2:05pm. Roy Halladay (1-0 record, 1.29 ERA this season) vs. Roy Oswalt (0-1 record, 4.50 ERA this season). Halladay has never faced the Astros in regular season play. April is Halladay's highest ERA month of his career at 4.06...the only month he exceeds 4.00. Carlos Lee is 7-for-19 (.368 avg) with a double and 3 homers against Halladay in his career. Oswalt is 6-1 with a 3.23 ERA in 11 games against the Phils. In 138 games at Minute Maid Park, Oswalt is 75-26 with a 2.82 ERA. Brian Schneider is 6-for-12 (.500 avg) with a double and a homer in his career against Oswalt.

Astros hitters Hunter Pence, Mike Bourn and Carlos Lee are a combined 4-for-36 (.111 avg.) thus far in 2010.

At home versus the Phils, Pence has 8 homers and a .409 average in 11 games.

Former Phillie Pedro Feliz is 3-for-12 (.250 avg) with 2 RBI in the early going this season.

Raul Ibanez is just 1-for-11 (.091 avg) this season. Raul is a .239 career hitter in 13 games against Houston. In 20 games last April, Ibanez batted .359.

Chase Utley is a career .194 hitter in 35 games against Houston.

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