Houston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2018 ) Houston 14, LA Dodgers 0

Los Angeles set Dodger Stadium records for runs scored and homers (seven) in Thursday’s 21-5 win over Milwaukee but has gone ice cold in its last two games. The Dodgers have struck out a total of 28 times in back-to-back losses to the visiting Houston Astros and look to avoid being the victims of a three-game sweep on Sunday.

Josh Reddick belted a three-run homer and Martin Maldonado snapped an 0-for-34 slump with two hits and three RBIs on Saturday as Houston scored seven runs in the eighth inning en route to a 14-0 victory. The Astros won their fourth in a row following a five-game losing streak but will be monitoring the status of Lance McCullers Jr., who started Saturday’s contest but left after 60 pitches because of right elbow discomfort. Los Angeles has dropped five of its last seven to fall one game behind Arizona for first place in the National League West and has registered one run and seven hits over the first two games of this rematch of last season’s World Series. Brian Dozier has gone 5-for-11 with two homers and five RBIs in his first four games with his new club, but Matt Kemp went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Saturday and has notched just one hit over his last 34 at-bats.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (10-3, 2.55 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (4-4, 3.65)

Cole suffered his third loss of the season on Monday despite limiting Seattle to two runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings. The two-time All-Star began the weekend ranked fifth in the majors with 194 strikeouts, including 36 over his last four starts. Yasiel Puig is 5-for-11 with a home run against Cole, who is 3-1 with a 5.55 ERA in six career starts versus the Dodgers.

Buehler was a hard-luck loser against Milwaukee on Tuesday, when he allowed one run and five hits while striking out seven over seven innings. The 24-year-old rookie was winless in three starts last month but posted a 17-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 16 2/3 frames. Buehler, who is facing Houston for the first time, owns a 5.40 ERA in 10 career road games (five starts) compared to a 3.28 mark in 11 contests (seven starts) at Dodger Stadium.

WALK-OFFS

1. Houston RHP Roberto Osuna (suspension) is expected to be activated prior to Sunday’s contest.

2. The Dodgers placed LHP Alex Wood on the 10-day disabled list with left adductor tendinitis.

3. Astros OF Tony Kemp left Saturday’s game after being hit in the foot by a pitch and is listed as day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Astros 1