DODGERS ON DECK

Opponent--Houston Astros, three games.

Site--Houston Astrodome.

TV--Channel 5, Tuesday.

Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

Records--Dodgers 54-50, Astros 54-51.

Record vs. Astros--1-6.

Dodger update--The Dodgers and Astros have been in a virtual tie for third place most of the season. The Dodgers fell 16 games behind the San Francisco Giants Sunday with 58 remaining. The players’ attitudes range from believing it would take a miracle to get into the National League West race to thinking that they can do it by picking up a couple of games a week. Everyone knows, however, that no matter how the Dodgers play, the Giants have to lose consistently, and that isn’t happening.

Astro update--General Manager Bill Wood said his team can no longer point to youth as an excuse for mediocre play. “It’s time for this ballclub to start playing if we want to accomplish what we want to,” he told the Houston Post. “ . . . How about putting together two good months back-to-back? That would be different.” The Astros lost three of four games to the Atlanta Braves last weekend.

Pitching matchups--The Dodgers’ Kevin Gross (7-9) vs. the Astros’ Mark Portugal (9-4) today at 5 p.m. PDT, Tom Candiotti (6-5) vs. Pete Harnisch (10-7) Wednesday at 5, Pedro Astacio (7-6) vs. Doug Drabek (7-12) Thursday at 10:30 a.m.