Houston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 1, Houston 0

The Tampa Bay Rays battled their way out a slump at the end of a long road trip and hope to improve their play at home with 20 of the next 27 games at Tropicana Field. The Rays won five of their last six contests on the road and open a nine-game homestand Friday with the first of three against the up-and-down Houston Astros.

Tampa Bay had lost eight of nine outings to drop to a season-low eight games under .500 before taking advantage of struggling Minnesota and Arizona to post 30 runs in its last five wins. “The guys have kind of rallied around each other,” Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters. “You see the at-bats we’re having right now. We’re grinding through some at-bats. It’s been really fun to watch.” Evan Longoria has led the way for Tampa Bay with an 11-game hitting streak, registering six homers and 15 RBIs in that span, and will face Tampa native Lance McCullers as Houston attempts turn it around after a 1-3 series at Texas. Astros shortstop Carlos Correa suffered an ankle injury in Thursday’s 5-3 loss and is day-to-day.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Lance McCullers (3-1, 4.23 ERA) vs. Rays RH Matt Andriese (4-0, 2.52)

McCullers, who was named 2012 Gatorade National Player of the Year when he was at Jesuit High in Tampa, has won three straight starts in impressive fashion. The 22-year-old permitted six runs and 15 hits while striking out 26 over 17 innings in those outings. McCullers allowed four runs on four hits in six innings with 10 strikeouts to take the loss at Tampa Bay last year, but the current Rays lineup is 1-for-18 against him.

Andriese gave up three runs (two earned) over five innings – his shortest outing of the season -- to earn the victory last time out against Minnesota. The 26-year-old has limited five of six opponents to three or fewer runs in 2016 while allowing one home run in 39 1/3 innings. Jose Altuve is 1-for-1 versus Andriese, who took the loss after yielding one run in 1 2/3 innings of relief against Houston last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Altuve has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games, going 25-for-60 with nine RBIs in that span to raise his average to .337.

2. Tampa Bay OF Desmond Jennings went 5-for-11 with a pair of homers and three RBIs in the three-game series at Arizona to push his average to .194.

3. Astros 3B Luis Valbuena has eight hits in 20 at-bats during a six-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Rays 2