After splitting a four-game series at Baltimore, the Red Sox will look to turn the tables when they head to Houston for a three-game series with the Astros, beginning tonight at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros swept the Sox at Fenway Park earlier this month, and have won nine of their last 10 to seize control of the American League West, opening a four-game lead on the Mariners. Houston’s bullpen should be in good shape after starters Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez each went seven innings in a pair of wins over the White Sox on Saturday and Sunday.
Tanner Houck, winless in his last five starts, will get the nod for the Red Sox in the opener. Houston will counter with Yusei Kikuchi, who is 2-0 with a 2.20 ERA in three starts, striking out 24 in 16⅔ innings since being acquired from the Blue Jays at the trade deadline.
Lineups
RED SOX (65-58): Duran CF, O’Neill RF, Refsnyder LF, Devers 3B, Gonzalez 2B, Jansen C, Casas 1B, Wong DH, Rafaela SS.
Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (8-8, 3.01 ERA)
ASTROS (67-56): Altive 2B, Alvarez DH, Diaz 1B, Pena SS, Caratini C, Meyers CF, Cabbage RF, Dubon LF, Whitcomb 3B.
Pitching: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.75 ERA)
Time: 8:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Red Sox vs. Kikuchi: Triston Casas 0-0, Rafael Devers 3-15, Jarren Duran 0-3, Romy González 2-4, David Hamilton 0-2, Danny Jansen 0-3, Tyler O’Neill 2-2, Ceddanne Rafaela 1-2, Rob Refsnyder 3-8, Connor Wong 3-6, Masataka Yoshida 2-4
Astros vs. Houck: Jose Altuve 0-6, Yordan Alvarez 0-2, Alex Bregman 2-5, Zach Dezenzo 0-3, Yainer Diaz 0-6, Mauricio Dubón 1-2, Chas McCormick 0-3, Jake Meyers 1-2, Jeremy Peña 1-5, Jon Singleton 1-4
Stat of the day: The Red Sox lead the American League in batting average (.262) and second in on-base percentage (.328) and slugging (.441).
Notes: The Red Sox are 36-26 on the road, third best in the AL behind the Yankees (41-24) and Orioles (36-24). … In four appearances (two starts) against the Astros, Houck is 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA. After winning four consecutive decisions into mid-June, The righthander has earned just one victory over his past 10 starts. … Kikuchi is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in eight appearances (six starts) against the Red Sox, who are 15-21 against lefthanders but have won their last four against southpaw starters.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
