Houston @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2018 ) Houston 2, Baltimore 1

The Houston Astros have a chance to match - or eclipse - the franchise record for wins in a season when they continue their four-game series at the Baltimore Orioles with a doubleheader on Saturday. The Astros, who open the American League Division Series versus Cleveland on Friday, notched their 101st win with a 2-1 victory on Friday night.

Josh Reddick homered and Marwin Gonzalez delivered a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning as Houston improved to a major league-best 55-23 on the road and beat the Orioles for the 12th time in the past 13 meetings. Astros right-hander Justin Verlander, the AL leader with a career-high 280 strikeouts, goes for his 17th win when he opposes Dylan Bundy, who is trying to avoid his 17th loss in Game 1 of the twin bill. Baltimore set a dubious record in defeat, becoming the sixth team since 1900 - and first since Detroit in 2003 - to lose 113 games in a season. Adam Jones, likely playing in his final series with the team, accounted for the Orioles' lone run with his second RBI double in as many games.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (12-11, 3.75 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Yefry Ramírez (1-7, 6.07)

Keuchel had a stretch of nearly two months earlier this season when he allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of 11 starts, but he has permitted at least five runs in three of his eight turns since. He picked up the win with five innings of three-run ball at Toronto on Monday, the sixth straight outing he failed to pitch beyond six innings. Tim Beckham is 5-for-9 with a double and triple off Keuchel.

Ramirez has gone more than two months since posting his lone career win against Boston on July 24 in his first start after the All-Star break. Following four consecutive relief appearances, he rejoined the rotation on Sept. 15 and was a hard-luck loser against the Chicago White Sox, pitching 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Ramirez was hit hard in his next at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 21, giving up six runs in 3 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros RH Roberto Osuna has converted all 12 save chances since joining the team.

2. Orioles 1B Chris Davis, batting .168 and mired in a 1-for-37 slump over his last 10 games, is expected to sit out the series.

3. Gonzalez has reached safely in 11 straight games.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Orioles 3