Ex CC Hook Jason Hirsh makes 1st MLB start tonight for Houston

[Maroon87]

It 's gonna be a tough one. Jake Peavey is pitching for SD. I hope he can get some of that big run support that the Astros have had going lately...:cool:

[Maroon87]

Hirsh to make big-league debut
San Diego (58-57) at Houston (57-58), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Kevin Yanik / MLB.com

Roll out the red carpet and start the drum roll please, because right-hander Jason Hirsh pitches on Saturday for the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
Hirsh, the club's top prospect and 24-year-old ace at Triple-A Round Rock, will make his long-awaited Major League debut against the Padres. At Round Rock, he was 13-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 118 strikeouts this season.

Actually, Hirsh won his last 12 decisions there. He hasn't lost a game since April 27, either. And another win Saturday pulls the Astros back to the .500 mark.

"It will be nice to see him pitch," manager Phil Garner said. "He's done a fine job at Triple-A and we'll be looking to see what he can do [Saturday]. "

Hirsh will be the fifth Astros rookie to start this season. If he pitches Saturday like he has all season, maybe he'll remain in the rotation until season's end.

Who knows for sure? His new club is still looking for a permanent No. 5 starter. So perhaps he's it. A solid fifth guy would certainly make this Wild Card chase less stressful knowing a call up won't be necessary each week.

Pitching matchup
HOU: RHP Jason Hirsh, (Major League debut)
The former No. 1 draft pick will make his big-league debut after posting a 13-2 record and a 2.10 ERA over 23 starts for Triple-A Round Rock. He allowed 32 earned runs over 137 1/3 innings. Hirsh, a 6-foot-8, 250-pound right-hander, threw two innings prior to this start as a final tune-up before his Major League debut.

SD: RHP Jake Peavy (5-11, 4.69 ERA)
Peavy appears to be back on track, having given up only four earned runs in his past three starts (19 1/3 innings) while going 1-1. But his command still isn't where he wants it. He used 119 pitches to get through 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals on Sunday, walking five while striking out six while surrendering one earned run on Alfonso Soriano's leadoff homer. Peavy owns one of the NL's best strikeouts-to-walks ratios (145 to 42) but has yielded as many homers (18) in 136 1/3 innings as he did last year in 203 innings.

Player to watch
Morgan Ensberg, who's starting to heat up at the plate, is 5-for-13 with two doubles, a homer and two RBIs against Peavy.

Roof
The roof will be closed.

[SWMustang]

Hopefully Peavey has a relapse and pitches more like a 5-11 pitcher. 6'8 250? That dude's a monster!

[Bull Butter]

How does Hirsh compare to Albers? I know Albers is more of a ground-ball pitcher.

This game won't be on FSN tonight:mad: I especially wanted to see the pre-game tribute to Gene Elston