[Clap-clap-clap-clap] Deep in the heart of Texas! ...

Ah, yes, there's nothing quite like coming to Houston, where the cowboy hats are big, the Tex-Mex food is plentiful and you can drive seemingly for an hour and still be inside the greater metropolitan area. Have I mentioned this town is a bit spread out?

Anyways, the Nats are here, fresh off that impressive 8-3 homestand that helped turn their season around. The key, according to Manny Acta? "I think it's been the bullpen." Indeed, despite missing Chad Cordero, the Nats' relief corps has pitched quite well over the last two weeks, led by new closer Jon Rauch, new setup man Luis Ayala and workhorse Saul Rivera. I'll have more about Ayala in tomorrow's paper.

No real news to report from pregame here, though there's a sense the Nats might have a rotation change in the works. Because of yesterday's day off, they could push struggling Matt Chico back a day (from Friday to Saturday) or even drop him from the rotation altogether. Possible replacements: Mike O'Connor, who's currently pitching out of the bullpen up here, or Jason Bergmann, who has thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings at Columbus. Bergmann's next turn happens to come on ... what do you know? ... Friday! So if the Nats were inclined to make a Bergmann-for-Chico swap, it's certainly lined up for that.

While you ponder that, here's tonight's lineups from Minute Maid Park...

NATS
2B Felipe Lopez
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Nick Johnson
CF Lastings Milledge
RF Austin Kearns
C Paul Lo Duca
LF Wily Mo Pena
P Shawn Hill

ASTROS
CF Michael Bourn
2B Kaz Matsui
SS Miguel Tejada
1B Lance Berkman
LF Carlos Lee
RF Hunter Pence
3B Ty Wigginton
C J.R. Towles
P Shawn Chacon