Yankees at Astros
Lance McCullers Jr. often mesmerizes hitters, and he looks to befuddle the New York Yankees' lineup for the second time this season when the Houston Astros host the opener of their three-game series on Friday. McCullers pitched six scoreless innings in defeating New York on May 12, when he gave up four hits while recording seven strikeouts.
McCullers, who has allowed one run over 12 innings in two career wins versus the Yankees, owns the fourth-best ERA in the majors, and his dominance has helped the Astros move 28 games over .500 for the first time since late in the 2001 campaign. Houston has won eight of its last 10 contests and smashed 128 homers, the second-most in franchise history prior to the All-Star break behind the 2001 squad's 134. The Yankees have lost 12 of their last 16 contests and began a seven-game road trip by splitting a four-game set with the Chicago White Sox, including Thursday's 4-3 setback that kept them one game behind first-place Boston in the American League East. Breakout star Aaron Judge, who has hit 10 homers this month, was robbed of his major league-best 28th in Thursday's loss.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), ROOT Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (7-4, 4.12 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lance McCullers Jr. (7-1, 2.53)
Pineda served up three homers while getting torched for seven runs and six hits in four innings of a loss to Texas in his last turn. The 28-year-old has struggled on the road, allowing five runs and 10 hits in each of his last two outings and is 1-2 with a 6.25 ERA in six such starts. Pineda is 2-3 with a 4.62 ERA in six career starts against the Astros, including a loss on May 11 in which he gave up three runs and six hits over 6 2/3 frames.
McCullers returned from a stint on the disabled list caused by a back injury to beat Seattle on Saturday, when he allowed one run and four hits over five innings. The 23-year-old has won five consecutive decisions and allowed just three earned runs and 17 hits over 28 frames in those contests. McCullers is 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and .195 batting average against in six home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros SS Carlos Correa, who is 6-for-10 with three homers against Pineda, went deep twice in Thursday's 6-1 victory over Oakland and has belted seven homers this month.
2. New York OF Dustin Fowler, who made his major-league debut on Thursday, ruptured the right patella tendon in his right knee and was slated to undergo surgery at a Chicago hospital.
3. Houston RF Josh Reddick is 14-for-26 with two homers, eight RBIs and 12 runs scored over his last eight games.