Tampa Bay @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 26, 2013 ) Houston 2, Tampa Bay 7

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Matt Moore has had some dramatic highs and lows this season, looking like the best pitcher in the game through the first seven weeks before laboring to get anyone out in his first three starts last month. Moore is coming off back-to-back solid outings, however, and goes for his third straight victory Monday when the Rays visit the Houston Astros in the opener of a four-game series. Tampa Bay has won five of its past seven and is six games out of first place in the American League East.

Houston has lost six of eight and is coming off a three-game home sweep by the Los Angeles Angels. The biggest culprits for the Astros were a lack of offense and plenty of shoddy defense - Houston had more errors (six) than runs (five) in the three games against the Angels and leads the majors with 67 errors in 82 contests. The Astros' pitching has been fairly solid, with Bud Norris and Lucas Harrell each turning in seven innings of one-run ball over the weekend.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), Comcast SportsNet Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Matt Moore (10-3, 3.95 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (4-4, 4.34)

Moore's last outing perfectly illustrated the inconsistencies that have plagued him in his brief career. He held a red-hot Toronto lineup to one run and four hits while striking out a season-high 11 in six innings, but he also matched a season worst by issuing six walks. The 24-year-old southpaw has permitted only eight hits in his last two starts but walked 20 over 24 2/3 innings in five June outings.

Keuchel's last appearance came in relief against St. Louis on Tuesday when he gave up two runs in 2 2/3 innings. Prior to that, he put together a string of five quality starts, giving up a total of nine runs and going 3-2 in that span. He has been stung by the long ball at times, surrendering 12 in 74 2/3 innings, including three in his last start against the Chicago Cubs on June 21.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays 1B James Loney is riding an 11-game hitting streak.

2. Astros 1B Carlos Pena will miss the series opener against his former team due to a death in the family.

3. Rays 3B Evan Longoria (plantar fasciitis), who sat out the past two games, has four homers and 13 RBIs in eight games vs. Houston.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Astros 2.