Houston @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 23, 2014 ) Houston 1, Seattle 6

Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel credits good mechanics for his career-high three-game winning streak and hopes to keep the machine running smoothly as the Astros visit the Seattle Mariners on Saturday in the third contest of a four-game series. "Pitchers are in a habit of pitching down in the zone, and the more you can repeat your motion and stuff, I think that the easier it is," Keuchel told the Houston Chronicle. "My knee and my motion are in sync right now." Keuchel, who was 9-18 entering the season, improved to 5-2 in 2014 following a 5-2 victory in Anaheim on Monday and leads the major leagues with a ground ball-to-fly ball ratio of 3.9-to-1.

Keuchel faces a challenge in the Mariners, who handed Houston its fourth straight loss 6-1 on Friday and has won four of their last five contests. Seattle's Robinson Cano has reached base in 30 straight games - the longest active streak in the majors - after being one of four Mariners to record two hits Friday and is hitting .368 with 20 RBIs during that span. The Mariners give the ball to Brandon Maurer, whose only victory of the season came against the Astros on May 4.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLBN, CSN Houston, ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (5-2, 2.92 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Brandon Maurer (1-2, 6.00)

Keuchel became the first Astro to pitch at least 8 2/3 innings in back-to-back games since Roy Oswalt in 2008 after failing in two chances Monday to record his second consecutive complete game. "I think anybody would want to finish that game, but at the end of the day, we got the win," the 26-year-old Tulsa, Okla., native told reporters. Keuchel is 1-1 against Seattle this season, allowing four runs in a 9-8 setback May 3 - his last loss before recording a 1.42 ERA in his last three turns.

Maurer pitches for the first time since May 14 - when he allowed two runs, two hits and walked four and 3 2/3 innings in a 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay - after the Mariners skipped his last turn in the rotation. The 23-year-old Newport Beach, Calif., native yielded an eye-popping 14 hits in 7 1/3 innings in his previous outing - a 6-1 loss to Kansas City on May 9. Maurer is 1-2 with a 15.58 ERA in three starts covering 8 2/3 innings against Houston, yielding 11 runs in 3 2/3 frames last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Houston rookie RF George Springer has missed the last two games because of a right hip flexor strain and remains day-to-day.

2. Seattle SS Willie Bloomquist on Friday hit his first home run since 2011 - a span of 626 at-bats - and fifth of his career.

3. Astros 2B Jose Altuve leads the majors with 66 hits after going 3-for-4 on Friday.

PREDICTION: Astros 3, Mariners 2