Houston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 16, 2018 ) Houston 2, LA Angels 0

The Houston Astros finished the first half with just two wins fewer than their 2017 World Series champion and look to continue pulling away in the American League West when they visit the Los Angeles Angels on Friday to start a three-game set. The Astros staggered slightly by losing four of seven before the All-Star break, but lead the West by five games over Seattle with Los Angeles 14 back.

Houston’s Alex Bregman put a stamp on a outstanding first half of the season with a tie-breaking solo homer in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday and brings a seven-game hitting streak into the series while teammate Yuli Gurriel has hit safely in 12 straight outings. Dallas Keuchel looks to continue his roll on the mound and takes a 10-2 career record against the Angels into Friday’s clash against fellow left-hander Tyler Skaggs, who beat Houston on April 23 with seven scoreless innings. If Los Angeles is ever going to get back into the AL wild-card race it will probably have to start with a strong 10-game homestand coming out of the break, which includes series against the Chicago White Sox and Seattle. All-Star Mike Trout is 10-for-28 in his last eight games for the Angels and teammate Andrelton Simmons has hit safely in six straight contests, going 10-for-27 in that stretch.

TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (7-8, 3.75 ERA) vs. Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (7-5, 2.57)

Keuchel is unbeaten in his last seven starts (4-0), limiting opponents to one or zero earned runs in four of those outings, and has won three straight games. The 30-year-old Oklahoma native held Detroit to six hits over six scoreless innings on July 13 in his last start before the break and boasts a 1.35 ERA in three outings this month. Trout is 14-for-41 with a pair of homers against Keuchel, who owns a 3.67 career ERA versus the Angels over 16 appearances (15 starts).

Skaggs has already set a career high in wins along with strikeouts (105), and can set a club record for a left-handed pitcher with a seventh straight start allowing one or no earned runs Friday. The 27-year-old California native, who will match his career-high with his 18th start, has given up just four earned runs over 38 innings across his last six starts with 41 strikeouts. Jose Altuve is 7-for-18 versus Skaggs, who is 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA lifetime against the Astros.

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia can break the tie with Ralph Houk (1,619) for 18th on major league baseball’s all-time wins list.

2. The Astros lead the league with a plus-188 run differential and their starting pitchers own a major league-best 3.02 ERA.

3. Angels OF Kole Calhoun is 8-for-22 with four homers and six RBIs in his last six contests to raise his batting average 17 points to .187.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Angels 2