Houston @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2018 ) Houston 3, Detroit 2

The Houston Astros are rounding into form for another postseason run with eight wins in their last nine games and look to continue the surge Tuesday when they visit the Detroit Tigers for the second of three contests in the Motor City. Tyler White had a pair of hits, improving to 6-for-13 in his last four outings, and knocked in a run as the Astros pulled out a 3-2 victory Monday to increase their lead in the American League West to three games over Oakland.

Alex Bregman (team-high 30 homers, 97 RBIs) was hitless Monday but worked a walk to extend his on-base streak to 37 games, the longest by a Houston player since Lance Berkman reached the same figure in 2004. The Astros will attempt to clinch the season series with rookie left-hander Framber Valdez on the mound Tuesday and Detroit counters with veteran righty Jordan Zimmermann, who is 1-1 with a 1.40 ERA against AL West foes this season. Nicholas Castellanos had a pair of hits Monday and is 9-for-16 with three doubles and four RBIs during a five-game hitting streak for the Tigers, who have lost two in a row after winning four straight. Detroit, which sits in third place in the AL Central, is 10-22 against the AL West - 1-3 versus Houston - and 18-18 against left-handed starters.

TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Framber Valdez (3-1, 1.37 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (7-6, 4.03)

Valdez has been solid in his first three major league starts, allowing three runs on nine hits and nine walks across 15 1/3 innings combined. The 24-year-old Dominican Republic native began his career on Aug. 21 with 4 1/3 innings of relief to win at Seattle while yielding one unearned run. Valdez was 6-5 with a 4.11 ERA in 22 games (14 starts) at Triple-A and Double-A before being recalled by the Astros.

Zimmermann limited the Chicago White Sox to two hits and one walk over five scoreless innings to earn the victory last time out - his third in the last five decisions. The 32-year-old Wisconsin native permitted one or fewer earned runs in four of his last six starts, walking just three total in that stretch. Josh Reddick is 3-for-6 versus Zimmermann, who is 2-3 with a 3.09 ERA in seven career starts against the Astros.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit C James McCann is 17-for-50 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 16 career games against the Astros.

2. Houston 1B Yuli Gurriel, who was rested in the series opener, is 7-for-22 with two homers and six RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

3. Tigers OF Christin Stewart, a first-round pick in 2015, notched his first major league hit Monday with a single.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Tigers 4