Seattle @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2016 ) Seattle 1, Houston 2

George Springer has gone deep in back-to-back games and his next homer will match the career-best 20 he hit as a rookie in 2014. Springer seeks to make an impact again on Tuesday when the Houston Astros host the Seattle Mariners in the middle contest of a three-game set.

Springer doubled and scored in the first inning and smacked a homer in the fifth on Monday to help Houston score a 2-1 victory to break Seattle's four-game winning streak. The right fielder has four blasts over the last 10 games but had just one multi-hit outing in a 14-game stretch before going 2-for-4 in the series opener. Mariners left fielder Seth Smith struck out three times in four hitless at-bats after hitting homers in four consecutive games and driving in 11 runs during the span. Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz was 0-for-3 in the opener to drop to 3-for-27 with 10 strikeouts against the Astros this season, but he is 8-for-20 with two homers against scheduled Tuesday starter Dallas Keuchel.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle, Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (4-6, 3.29 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (5-9, 5.13)

Walker missed one start due to a foot injury and returned with a sharp performance to beat Baltimore as he allowed one run and four hits over 6 1/3 innings. He has served up 15 homers, with 11 of them occurring during a six-start stretch in which he went 0-5. Walker is 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA in 10 career starts against Houston - he is 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA this season - and struggles with major-league batting leader Jose Altuve (8-for-23, one homer).

Keuchel has won back-to-back starts as he attempts to recover from a dreadful start that has made him one of the most disappointing starters in the majors this season. The reigning American League Cy Young winner has lost more games than he did all last season, when he went 20-8, and has allowed four or more earned run on seven occasions. Keuchel is 0-1 with a 4.85 ERA in two starts against Seattle this season and 4-5 with a 3.09 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Altuve, who is batting .353, has six multi-hit outings in the last nine games and is 17-for-38 during the stretch.

2. Seattle 3B Kyle Seager had two hits in the opener is 11-for-24 with a homer and six doubles during a seven-game hitting streak.

3. Houston LF Colby Rasmus has hit just three homers at Minute Maid Park this season - he hit 12 last season.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Mariners 4