Cincinnati @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2013 ) Cincinnati 6, Houston 5

After ending a long road trip on a positive note, the Houston Astros look to pick on some lesser opponents when they begin a six-game homestand against Cincinnati on Friday. The Astros went 4-5 on their voyage but won the last two in St. Louis, riding George Springer's tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning to a 4-1 victory on Wednesday.

Houston has won eight of its last nine at home and six of nine against National League opponents, and it will hope to take advantage of the struggling Reds and then the division rival Los Angeles Angels, who have dropped seven of 10, later on the homestand. Cincinnati is ripe for the picking, having dropped the final two games of a four-game set at lowly Atlanta, including a 13-inning affair Wednesday and then a 7-2 setback in the series finale Thursday afternoon. That left the Reds an NL-worst 9-22 on the road. Cincinnati has taken 10 of the last 12 meetings at Minute Maid Park, but the last one came late in 2013, when the Astros were finishing up a franchise-worst 51-111 season.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH John Lamb (1-4, 5.14 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lance McCullers (3-2, 4.54)

Lamb fell to 2-9 in 18 career starts after giving up four runs and seven hits in four innings of a loss to Oakland on Sunday. The California native struck out one while serving up two home runs for the third time in his last five starts. The 25-year-old Lamb, who has never faced the Astros, has allowed 14 runs and 23 hits in 14 2/3 innings on the road, although he shined through seven innings at Coors Field earlier this month.

McCullers is showing signs of putting things together, posting a 3.72 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 29 innings over his last five starts, but he continues to struggle early in games. "Same script," he told reporters after giving up four runs through the first two innings in an eventual 4-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Friday. "Every time I get hurt it's in the first inning or the second inning." The 22-year-old, who will be making his debut against the Reds, has allowed 16 runs through the first three frames and just one from the fourth inning on through six starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds LF Adam Duvall on Friday slugged his 19th homer and his 12th since May 22.

2. Houston has been held to five runs or fewer in 10 consecutive games while holding opponents to five or fewer in eight straight.

3. Springer was 5-for-38 on the trip and is hitting .194 in June.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Reds 3