Los Angeles @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2016 ) LA Angels 2, Houston 3

The Houston Astros have won six of their last seven games and have used a 19-8 surge to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 6. Houston attempts to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon - less than 24 hours after registering a dramatic 3-2 walk-off victory.

Carlos Correa drove in all three runs in the middle game of the set, drilling a solo homer in the fifth inning and smacking the decisive two-run single into the gap in right-center field to win it. Correa has collected six RBIs in the series and has gone deep in both games after not hitting one since May 29. Los Angeles dropped to 7-12 in June due to the ninth-inning meltdown by closer Huston Street and has lost four of five against Houston this season. Albert Pujols, who has homered just once over his last 21 contests, sat out Tuesday due to hamstring and ankle soreness.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (3-7, 4.50 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lance McCullers (3-2, 4.24)

Shoemaker is 0-2 with a 2.20 ERA during his four-start winless stretch and has given up two or fewer runs in five of his last six turns. His impeccable control has been on display with just two walks against 55 strikeouts over his last six outings. Shoemaker is 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against Houston, including a victory on May 27 in which he struck out 11 and walked none while giving up two runs and seven hits in 8 1/3 innings.

McCullers was 1-1 against the Angels in four starts as a rookie last season but had an impressive 2.52 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He has struck out 50 batters in just 40 1/3 innings this season, but control has been an issue as he has walked at least three in each game and issued 26 overall. McCullers served up homers to Pujols (4-for-11) and Mike Trout (1-for-7) last season but thoroughly shut down Kole Calhoun (1-for-11).

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels LF Daniel Nava is 1-for-8 with five strikeouts in the series.

2. Houston 2B Jose Altuve, who is batting .386 in June, is 5-for-12 with a homer against Shoemaker.

3. Los Angeles 1B C.J. Cron homered on Tuesday, his first blast since going deep twice against Detroit on May 31.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Angels 3