The top two teams in the tight NL wild-card race grapple with each other in Houston for four days starting tonight and ending on Thursday. A sweep by either team would virtually guarantee a postseason berth, but sweeping a four-game series is not likely. If two clubs are evenly matched after 140-145 games, it would be rare indeed that either would completely dominate the other.
The only important players on either team who are currently hurt are Florida shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who has missed the past week with a bruised elbow and might return on Tuesday, and Florida catcher Paul Lo Duca, day-to-day with a hamstring injury.
The Astros enter this key series with a 76-66 record and the post position in the NL wild-card derby, a half-game ahead of the Marlins (76-67). Florida lost two of three over the weekend, its pitching staff allowing 29 runs in the rocket pad known as Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The series culminated in Sunday's 11-1 thumping by the home team, pulling Philadelphia back to within 1½ games of Houston and one game of Florida. Fortunately for the Fish, their midweek sweep of Washington gave them a bit of breathing room.