Astros at Athletics
The Houston Astros are one of the hottest teams in the majors and the All-Star break did nothing to cool off the team on a rise. The Astros will try to continue chipping away at their deficit in the American League West when they visit the struggling Oakland Athletics for the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Houston was 11 games under .500 after a loss to Texas on May 22 but is 33-14 since that point to climb back within 4 1/2 games of the Rangers for first place in the AL West. The Astros, who will play their next nine games against teams currently under .500, allowed a total of five runs in taking two of three from the Seattle Mariners to open the second half and are coming off an 8-1 thrashing on Sunday. The Athletics are gearing up for the trade deadline and figure to be sellers when the calendar turns to Aug. 1 as they sit tied for last in the West. Oakland split four games at Houston prior to the All-Star break but came out stronger and just missed completing a series sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-3 loss on Sunday.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Mike Fiers (6-3, 4.35 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (5-6, 4.37)
Fiers has not lost since May 27 but stumbled into the break with a poor start in a no decision against Seattle on July 6. The Florida native was ripped for four runs on five hits – three home runs – and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. Fiers was held out of the decision at Oakland on April 29 despite scattering two runs and seven hits across seven innings.
Graveman started at Houston before the break and allowed two runs on five hits in eight innings without a walk to earn the win. The 25-year-old surrendered two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts and yielded only one home run in that span. Graveman was also ripped for five runs in 4 1/3 innings at Houston on June 4 and is 2-1 with a 5.24 ERA in four career starts against the Astros.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics LHP Rich Hill was removed from his start on Sunday after five pitches due to a blister and is start-to-start.
2. Astros All-Star 2B Jose Altuve went 4-for-5 on Sunday to lift his AL-leading average .346.
3. Houston INF Marwin Gonzalez is 5-for-13 with four extra-base hits and five runs scored in the last three games.