Houston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2016 ) Houston 4, Tampa Bay 3

Dallas Keuchel has managed just three victories in his first 13 starts of 2016 after a remarkable campaign in which he went 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA to win the American League Cy Young Award. The talented left-hander looks to begin a revival on Sunday afternoon when his Houston Astros visit the Tampa Bay Rays for the rubber match of three-game series.

The Astros rallied to edge the Rays 4-3 on Saturday, improving to 2-4 on a nine-game road trip, as Luis Valbuena and Carlos Gomez both went deep late in the contest. Keuchel has dropped two straight and seven of his last eight decisions as he prepares to face fellow lefty Matt Moore in the series finale. Tampa Bay had the winning run on base in the ninth inning Saturday before Desmond Jennings grounded into a double play as the Rays lost for only the second time in eight contests. Tampa Bay’s Steve Pearce is one of the hottest hitters in the league, going 12-for-18 with three doubles and three RBIs during a six-game streak.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (3-8, 5.44 ERA) vs. Rays LH Matt Moore (2-4, 5.56)

Keuchel owns just one victory in his last 10 starts, but completed at least six innings in all but one of those outings. The 28-year-old Oklahoma native yielded four runs on 10 hits over 7 1/3 innings at Texas on Tuesday – giving up two homers for the fourth time in his last seven starts. Logan Forsythe is 6-for-13 versus Keuchel, who is 0-3 with a 4.78 ERA in five career starts against the Rays.

Moore has won only once in his last nine starts after permitting five runs on seven hits over seven innings to take the loss Tuesday at Arizona. The 26-year-old has also struggled with the home run ball, giving up eight blasts in his last five starts and 14 in 69 2/3 innings overall. Jose Altuve is 1-for-5 with a homer against Moore, who is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two lifetime starts versus the Astros.

WALK-OFFS

1. Altuve has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games (28-for-66 in that span) and recorded multiple hits in five of his past seven outings.

2. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria homered for the sixth time in eight games on Saturday and boasts 16 RBIs in the last 13 contests.

3. Astros INF Marwin Gonzalez is 11-for-25 during a six-game hitting streak and replaced SS Carlos Correa (ankle) the last two days.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Rays 2