Los Angeles @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2013 ) LA Angels 2, Houston 1

The Los Angeles Angels continue to pursue their first win of the season when they begin a four-game series at Houston on Friday. The Angels were throttled by a combined score of 26-8 in dropping three straight at home to Seattle to begin the season. Their bullpen posted a 10.80 ERA in the series and the staff as a whole has allowed 34 hits and 15 walks in 27 innings as Los Angeles is 0-3 for the first time since 1992.

The Angels' staff will have to contend with the streaking Dexter Fowler, who went 6-for-12 with a home run and five runs scored as Houston took two of three from the New York Yankees to start the year. Fowler was one of the few bright spots in a 4-2 loss Friday night, as the Astros wasted several scoring opportunities early in the game and managed just one walk over the final four frames. Houston was 10-9 against Los Angeles last year, one of four teams against whom the Astros had a winning mark.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), CSN Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (2013: 7-8, 4.16 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lucas Harrell (2013: 6-17, 5.86)

Richards bounced between the bullpen and the starting rotation in 2013, going 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 17 starts. Included in that lot was a start versus Houston on Aug. 17, when he gave up five runs and a career-high 12 hits in six innings. The former first-round pick, who is 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in five career games against Houston, went 2-1 with a 3.47 mark in five spring-training starts.

Harrell followed up a solid 2012 season with a difficult 2013, leading the American League with 88 walks, just one fewer than his strikeout total. However, he had plenty of success against the Angels, who he held to three earned runs in 17 2/3 innings spread over three starts. The 28-year-old gave up 13 earned runs in 15 innings during the spring, but nine of the runs came in a 1 2/3-inning clunker at Detroit on March 15.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels CF Mike Trout is 4-for-10 with a home run, triple, double and single through the first three games.

2. Astros C Jason Castro left Friday's game after being hit by a pitch in the right ankle.

3. Houston DH Chris Carter is 5-for-9 with a home run and a double against Richards.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Angels 4