(My Sportsbook) - Young right-hander James Parr closes out his initial stint in the major leagues tonight, when the Atlanta Braves visit Minute Maid Park for the second of three season-ending games against the Houston Astros.

Parr, a 22-year-old from New Mexico, reached the big leagues on September 4 and earned his first win with six innings of two-hit, shutout ball against the Washington Nationals in a 2-0 triumph.

He blanked the Colorado Rockies for six more innings en route to a no-decision in a 9-5 Braves win six days later, but has since been hit hard in two more outings against National League powerhouses Philadelphia and New York.

In those two starts, both no-decisions, Parr allowed 14 hits and eight runs in just six innings, walking four batters and striking out six. Saturday will be his first road start.

The youngster is opposed by Houston veteran Brandon Backe, who's gone 3-4 over his last 10 second-half starts.

The 30-year-old Texan, limited to just 13 starts over the last two seasons due to injuries, earned his seventh, eighth and ninth wins of this season over a 17-day stretch in August, defeating San Francisco, the Mets and Cincinnati.

Backe is 0-1 with a no-decision in two outings since, including a 14-2 drubbing at Florida in which he gave up six hits and five runs in just 1 2/3 innings.

Lifetime against the Braves, Backe is 2-1 in five games --three starts -- with a 5.59 earned run average.

On Friday, Darin Erstad clubbed a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Astros to a 5-4 win.

Michael Bourn collected three hits and scored a run for the Astros, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention after the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs, 5-1, on Friday.

Ty Wigginton added a solo homer.

Houston starter Brian Moehler gave up two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings, Jose Valverde (6-3) got the win despite blowing his seventh save of the season.

Casey Kotchman had a two-run single for the Braves, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Josh Anderson had three hits and scored twice.

Jorge Campillo allowed four runs on seven hits in just three innings of work. Buddy Carlyle tossed three scoreless frames and Jeff Bennett blanked the Astros over two innings. Julian Tavarez (1-4) was saddled with the loss after he served up the home run to Erstad.

Kelly Johnson, who went 0-for-2 to snap his career-best 22-game hitting streak, stroked a sac fly in the eighth off Houston's LaTroy Hawkins to make it a one-run affair.

Atlanta won two of three games against Houston at home from July 4-6.