Oakland @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2015 ) Oakland 4, Houston 3

The Houston Astros have not gotten the boost they expected from Scott Kazmir, though that is only partly the fault of the veteran left-hander. Kazmir will take on the team that traded him away when the Astros host the Oakland Athletics in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

Kazmir is just 2-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 10 starts since being acquired by the Astros after going 5-5 with a 2.36 mark in 18 starts with the Athletics. Houston made a series of moves before the trade deadline in an effort to boost an already strong club but has gone 19-25 since the start of August, including 4-12 this month, after squandering a 3-0 lead and falling 4-3 in Friday’s series opener. The loss was the fifth in a row - they dropping four straight at Texas - but it did not cost the Astros any ground in the race as the Rangers fell to Seattle in the opener of a weekend series to keep Houston 2 1/2 games away from the top spot in the American League West. Oakland, which sends ace Sonny Gray to the mound on Saturday, sits last in the West but has won three of four.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), ROOT Southwest (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (13-7, 2.56 ERA) vs. Astros LH Scott Kazmir (7-10, 2.63)

Gray was knocked around in two of his last three starts, allowing a total of 13 runs and 16 hits in eight innings against the Angels and the White Sox. Sandwiched in between those rough outings was a gem against Kazmir and Houston on Sept. 8, when the Vanderbilt product yielded five hits in seven scoreless frames to earn the win. Gray is 4-2 with a 1.88 ERA in six career starts against the Astros.

Houston has not scored more than three runs in support of Kazmir since his debut with the team – a 4-0 win at Kansas City on July 24. The Texas native scattered three runs (two earned) and five hits across seven innings at the Rangers on Monday but ended up without a decision in a game the Astros went on to lose 5-3. Kazmir started at Oakland in his previous turn on Sept. 8 and absorbed a loss while allowing four runs and seven hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics CF Billy Burns (hamstring) entered the game as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement on Friday after missing the previous seven contests and should start soon.

2. Houston CF Carlos Gomez (strained left intercostal) missed his sixth straight game on Friday and is not yet swinging a bat.

3. Oakland C Stephen Vogt (groin) has been out since Sep. 5 and could return this weekend.

PREDICTION: Astros 3, Athletics 2