Reds at Astros
After trading 11-inning victories in the first two games of the series, the Houston Astros will square off with the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of the three-game set. The Astros rebounded from a 4-2 setback on Friday night with a 5-4 victory Saturday, courtesy of George Springer's walk-off RBI single.
Evan Gattis was buried in a 1-for-34 slump over a 10-game span before launching a two-run homer Saturday to lift Houston to its third victory in four games. Marwin Gonzalez also added a two-run shot and collected three hits as the Astros pulled within three games of the .500 mark. Reds left fielder Adam Duvall forced extra innings with his third homer in the first six games of the road trip to boost his season total to 20. Eugenio Suarez collected two more hits Saturday and is 8-for-19 in five games versus Houston.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), ROOT (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Brandon Finnegan (3-4, 3.61 ERA) vs. Astros RH Mike Fiers (4-3, 4.76)
After enduring a seven-start stretch in which he allowed at least three runs, Finnegan has permitted two runs or fewer in four of his last five turns while pitching at six innings in each. The 23-year-old Texan improved to 2-0 over his last three outings after limiting Atlanta to one run and four hits over six innings. Control has been an issue for Finnegan, who has walked at least three batters nine times, but has yielded just two homers in his last seven starts.
Fiers halted a five-start winless drought at Tampa Bay on June 11, matching his season high with seven innings and giving up two runs on a pair of solo homers. Although that represented his first road victory of the season, the 31-year-old Fiers has been solid at Minute Maid Park with a 3-2 record and 3.67 ERA in seven starts. Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips are a combined 5-for-34 against Fiers, who is 2-4 with a 3.13 ERA lifetime versus Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. Duvall has homered 13 times in his last 26 games.
2. Astros CF Carlos Gomez is 8-for-17 during a four-game hitting streak.
3. Bruce has hit safely in five straight games.