Houston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2015 ) LA Angels 6, Houston 5

Matt Shoemaker attempts to follow up one of the best starts of his career when the Los Angeles Angels host the Houston Astros on Friday in the opener of their three-game series. Shoemaker struck out a career-best 12 batters and gave up just three hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings in a no-decision against Baltimore on Saturday.

The superb outing gives the Angels hope that Shoemaker is close to regaining the form that saw him go 16-4 in 2014 and provide a boost to their beleaguered rotation. Los Angeles has lost staff ace Garrett Richards for the season and veteran C.J. Wilson has yet to return from last year's shoulder injury. Houston is fresh off a sweep of the Orioles in which its pitching staff recorded 52 strikeouts - a major-league record for a three-game series. George Springer belted a pair of solo shots in Thursday's 4-2 victory for his third career multi-homer performance and went 6-for-12 with two walks in the series after being moved into the leadoff spot.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Mike Fiers (3-2, 4.35 ERA) vs. Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (2-5, 6.81)

Fiers won three straight decisions before losing to Texas in his last outing, when he gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings. He has a solid 37-to-7 strikeouts-to-walk ratio but has served up nine homers in just 51 2/3 innings. Fiers has a 3.95 ERA in two career no-decisions versus the Angels but has struggled against C.J. Cron (3-for-6, two homers).

Shoemaker had worked five or fewer innings in four consecutive starts - allowing 20 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings - before the dominant start against the Orioles. He only struck out 22 batters in seven starts prior to facing Baltimore and opponents have a .292 batting average against him. Shoemaker is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) against Houston and has experienced issues retiring Jose Altuve (4-for-9, one homer).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Angels have won 14 of their last 19 home games against the Astros.

2. Altuve, dropped to second in Houston's batting order, is 1-for-21 over his last five games.

3. Los Angeles DH Albert Pujols has hit 50 career homers against the Astros, more than any player in baseball history (Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron is second with 46).

PREDICTION: Angels 4, Astros 2