Houston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 5, 2014 ) LA Angels 5, Houston 8

The Los Angeles Angels came up even on a six-game road trip but have a chance to make a move in the standings with the next seven at home. The Angels will kick off that homestand by hosting the Houston Astros on Thursday. Los Angeles had a chance to sweep a three-game set in Chicago on Wednesday, but Mike Morin allowed the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in the 3-2 setback.

The Astros limp into the series after being outscored by the Seattle Mariners 28-8 in a three-game home sweep and are losers of 12 of their last 16 overall. Houston managed three hits – all from the bottom two spots in the order – in a 5-2 loss Wednesday. The Angels pounded out 15 runs in a doubleheader sweep Tuesday but could not come up with the big hit in Wednesday’s setback, falling to 9-3 in their last 12 games.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, CSN Houston, FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Brett Oberholtzer (2-6, 4.40 ERA) vs. Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (5-2, 4.50)

Oberholtzer made his return to the majors Saturday and allowed one run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision against Detroit. The 25-year-old owns a string of three straight quality starts, going back to May before he was sent out. Oberholtzer is 1-1 with a total of seven runs allowed on 13 hits in 12 innings against Los Angeles, covering two starts.

Shoemaker was beaten up for season highs of eight runs and 11 hits in four innings to suffer a loss at Kansas City on Friday. The Michigan native had yielded a total of three runs over 15 2/3 innings in back-to-back wins prior to the rough outing against the Royals. Shoemaker came out of the bullpen at Houston on June 3 and was reached for a pair of solo home runs in one inning.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels LF Josh Hamilton homered in two of the last three games and has scored in three straight.

2. Houston rookie Enrique Hernandez is 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs in his first two major-league games.

3. Los Angeles CF Mike Trout was named the AL Player of the Month for June on Wednesday, beating out Houston 2B Jose Altuve.

PREDICTION: Angels 7, Astros 6