Astros at Mariners
Aside from a clunker in the series opener, the Houston Astros have had a near-perfect road trip against a pair of American League West rivals. Houston looks to conclude the seven-game trek in winning fashion when it visits the Seattle Mariners on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game set.
The Astros swept a four-game series in Oakland before getting pounded in the first contest at Seattle but quickly bounced back with a 5-2 triumph on Saturday as Josh Reddick belted a two-run homer and Brian McCann delivered a three-run double. Reddick is 8-for-17 over his last four games and has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 contests while Jose Altuve enters Sunday two hits away from tying Bill Doran (1,139) for ninth place on the franchise list. Seattle's Mike Zunino drew a bases-loaded walk as a pinch-hitter in Saturday's setback, giving him 29 RBIs in 20 games this month. The loss ended the Mariners' six-game winning streak and dropped them to 5-1 on their nine-game homestand.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Southwest (Houston), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Francis Martes (2-0, 5.02 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Ariel Miranda (6-3, 4.04)
Martes is expected to make his third career start Sunday in place of Brad Peacock, who was placed on paternity leave. The 21-year-old Dominican won each of his first two major-league turns, including a triumph at Oakland on Tuesday in which he gave up three runs on six hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings. Martes recorded his first victory on June 14, when he limited Texas to one run and three hits in five frames.
Miranda is winless in his last three turns, although two were no-decisions in which he allowed only two runs. The 28-year-old Cuban owns a 7-1 record and 2.62 ERA in 14 career appearances (13 starts) at home, with the lone loss coming on April 11 against Houston. Miranda has made three overall starts versus the Astros in his brief career, going 1-1 with a 4.08 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros OF George Springer is 3-for-8 lifetime against Miranda, with all three hits being solo homers.
2. Seattle 1B Danny Valencia was scratched from Saturday's starting lineup due to a sore right wrist.
3. Prior to Saturday's game, Houston activated Lance McCullers Jr. (back) from the disabled list and recalled fellow RHP Jordan Jankowski from Triple-A Fresno while optioning RHP Joe Musgrove to the Grizzlies.