Houston, TX (My Sportsbook) - Roy Oswalt tries once again to reach the 20-win plateau this evening, when the Houston Astros tangle with the Milwaukee Brewers in the middle contest of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Oswalt faced the Brewers at Miller Park five days ago and was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked three.

The setback was the righthander's first since July 16 and snapped his personal nine-game win streak. With one more win, Oswalt will become the seventh hurler in Astros' history, and the first since 1999, to notch 20 victories. Both Jose Lima (21-10) and Mike Hampton (22-4) won 20 in '99. This will be the 25-year- old hurler's 15th appearance of the year at home, where he is 9-3 with a 2.65 earned run average.

For his career, Oswalt is 3-2 versus Milwaukee. He has faced the Brewers three times in 2002 and is 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA.

Wayne Franklin counters for the visitors. Franklin faced Oswalt and the Astros in his last trip to the slate and was credited with the victory after allowing one run on five hits over six frames. He walked four and fanned five.

The 28-year-old lefthander was acquired from the Astros earlier this year in exchange for veteran infielder Mark Loretta. He made his first appearance of the season on September 10 and was tagged with the loss after permitting six runs -- five earned -- on six hits in five innings against the Cardinals.

This will be his third outing of the season, and his second career appearance versus Houston.

In the opener of this set on Monday, Mark Loretta and Jason Lane each homered for the second consecutive game as the Astros earned an 8-6 win. Jeff Bagwell added a pair of runs batted in during a four-run sixth for Houston, which has won two of its last three.

Brandon Puffer recorded the win after tossing a perfect sixth and Billy Wagner notched the last three outs for his 34th save of the year. Dave Mlicki started for the Astros and yielded three runs -- two earned -- on five hits over four innings.

Matt Stairs went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Jose Hernandez scored a pair of runs and knocked in two more for Milwaukee, which dropped its fourth in a row. Hernandez did not whiff and remains two strikeouts away from setting the all-time, single-season record. Bobby Bonds established the mark in 1970, when he struck out 189 times.

Glendon Rusch was charged with the loss in five-plus innings of work. The lefty gave up seven runs -- four earned -- on seven hits with one strikeout and four walks.

The Brewers are a National League-worst 23-52 on the road in 2002, while the Astros bring a 46-33 home record into this contest. Houston leads the season series by a 9-7 margin, including five victories in seven tries at home. It is 36-23 in this matchup since the start of the 1999 campaign.