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CHC@HOU: Norris fans eight in seven innings of work

It wouldn't have been shocking if the Dodgers' offense sputtered for a while after all their recent injuries. But their patchwork lineup has scored six or more runs in six of the last eight games.

The lineup was shut down by the Astros' Lucas Harrell on Friday, though, and faces another challenge on Saturday, when the Astros' Bud Norris, possibly the hottest pitcher in the Majors, takes the mound.

Matt Kemp, Juan Rivera, Mark Ellis, Justin Sellers and Juan Uribe are all out. Kemp, the center fielder with a 1.173 OPS in 2012, is due back the soonest.

Other Dodgers are stepping up in their place. Adam Kennedy is batting .364 in his last eight games. Utility man Elian Herrera is batting .384 in his last six games.

"All the injuries have come at once, but we've had guys filling in getting key hits for us," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.

They'll have to muster some offense on Norris (5-1), who has a 0.35 ERA in the month of May, the lowest in baseball. The last time Norris pitched in Dodger Stadium, he went seven scoreless innings but earned a no-decision.

The Astros are just 6-13 on the road and take on a team that's a remarkable 19-5 at home. Astros manager Brad Mills was asked Friday if winning on the road was the last thing a young team with talent needs to learn.

"Is the road the last place? I can understand that question because that's kind of the way it looks right now," Mills said.

Dodgers: Billingsley gets the start
Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley has a chance for some revenge when he takes on the Astros on Saturday.

He allowed nine runs and five earned runs over 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Astros on April 22 at Minute Maid Park. He has lost all three career starts against Houston at Dodger Stadium. His ERA in those games is 10.80.

Billingsley went six innings in his last start against the Cardinals, giving up three earned runs on eight hits in a Dodgers victory.

Astros: Schafer may still be out
Jordan Schafer missed Friday's game with swelling in his right big toe and he might miss Saturday's game, too.

Schafer took a foul ball off the toe earlier in the week. It broke part of the toenail and became infected.

Schafer is hitting .248 on the season and hit a grand slam off Billingsley on April 22. The center fielder was optimistic about playing Saturday, but his manager wasn't so sure.

"It just looks really sore," Mills said. "It's red and swollen and it just looks bad. We want him to get well."

Worth noting
• The Dodgers are 7-0 on Saturdays this season.

• An Astros starter went at least five innings for the 38th time in a row on Friday, which gives them the longest streak in the Majors this season. They had been tied at 37 games with the Padres.

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