Major League Baseball

Astros-Giants Preview

Published Aug. 12, 2015 3:05 a.m. ET

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After a rough road trip, the San Francisco Giants are off to a solid start to a weeklong homestand.

Houston, meanwhile, hopes to salvage something positive on another rough road stretch.

The Giants can continue their recent home success by sweeping a brief two-game set from the Astros on Wednesday.

San Francisco (60-52) was swept in a four-game set at Wrigley Field to conclude a 3-7 trip last week. The Giants, however, were able to open a six-game stay with Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Houston.

''Huge lift,'' manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Giants have been in good spirits at home while going 15-5 since dropping nine a row there from May 30-June 15. Madison Bumgarner struck out 12 and allowed five hits to record his second complete game of the season Tuesday.

''You get in a tough deal like we get in losing four straight there and it's usually a well-pitched game that gets you out of it," Bochy said.

Chris Heston (11-6, 3.48 ERA) threw a gem May 12 at Houston when he allowed a homer to Jason Castro and one other hit while recording his first complete game in an 8-1 win.

''We weren't very disciplined,'' Houston manager A.J. Hinch said after his team struck out 10 times without a taking a walk in that contest.

Heston, however, has gone 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in two August starts after he went 4-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his previous six. Bochy, though, seems confident the rookie right-hander will get back on track.

''He's had a couple starts like this - he's bounced back,'' Bochy said. ''He's a tough kid."

Heston hopes Brandon Belt stays hot after he homered twice Tuesday to match a career high with 17 home runs. The first baseman is batting .256 in 10 games this month with seven of his 10 hits being home runs.

He's 1 for 5 against Scott Feldman (4-5, 4.46), who is 0-1 in four starts since missing almost two months with a knee problem but has a 3.65 ERA in those games, and 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three overall on the road. He gave up two runs and two homers in six innings of a 5-4, 10-inning victory at Oakland on Thursday.

The right-hander is 0-3 with a 5.17 ERA as a starter against the Giants, last facing them in 2013.

He'll get a look at Nori Aoki, who will return to the lineup Wednesday after he was hit in the head with a pitch during Sunday's loss to the Chicago Cubs.

''Good for (Wednesday),'' Bochy said of Aoki, who is 1 for 20 in his last five games against the Astros.

Clinging to a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West, the Astros (61-53) have been held to one run three times during a four-game losing streak while going 1-7 on this nine-game trip. Among the worst road teams in the AL at 23-35, the Astros have batted .193 and averaged 2.4 runs while losing 15 of the last 17 away from Minute Maid Park.

All-Star Joe Altuve, however, is batting .429 in the last five road contests.

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