Houston @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2016 ) Houston 3, Oakland 4

The Oakland Athletics look to ride the momentum of their comeback victory and complete a three-game sweep when they host the American League West-rival Houston Astros for the finale on Wednesday afternoon. Oakland fell into a three-run hole Tuesday but scored two in the seventh inning and one in the ninth before Josh Reddick delivered an RBI infield single a frame later to finish the comeback.

Rookie Ryon Healy continued to contribute, recording two hits and two RBIs to improve to 6-for-15 with six RBIs over his last four games after going 0-for-4 in his major league debut. While Oakland improved to 4-1 on its 10-game homestand, Houston fell to 2-3 on its six-game road trip. Despite the disappointing loss, Jose Altuve remained on fire since the All-Star break, finishing a home run shy of the cycle while producing his second 4-for-5 performance in three games. Altuve has gone 12-for-21 over his last five games while Carlos Correa is 6-for-17 in the same span.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Doug Fister (9-6, 3.64 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (1-4, 5.54)

Fister halted his three-start losing streak Friday, allowing three runs and five hits in five innings at Seattle. The 32-year-old Californian has won five of his last six decisions on the road and has given up three earned runs or fewer in all but one of his 10 outings away from home this season. Fister is 7-7 lifetime and 2-1 this season against the Athletics, including a victory at Oakland on May 1 in which he yielded one run over 6 2/3 innings.

After a solid first month in the major leagues, Mengden has taken a nosedive in his second. The 23-year-old Texan did not get the results he deserved in June, going 1-3 despite allowing two runs in three of his four starts and three in the other while working at least six innings on three occasions. Mengden has surrendered 17 runs over 13 1/3 frames in three turns in July, including a 3 1/3-inning outing against Toronto on Friday in which he was tagged for seven runs (six earned) on six hits and three walks.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Athletics placed RHP Andrew Triggs (shin) on the disabled list, recalled LHP Daniel Coulombe from Triple-A Nashville and sent INF Tyler Ladendorf to the same club.

2. Houston RF George Springer established a new career high with his 21st homer of the year Tuesday.

3. Oakland C Josh Phegley has begun participating in baseball activities after undergoing surgery to remove a cruciate ligament cyst in his right knee earlier this month.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Athletics 3