Houston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 22, 2018 ) Houston 5, LA Angels 14

The Houston Astros are clinging to their spot atop the American League West while battling through a tough road trip against division foes. The Astros will try to finish strong when they reach the last stop of the trip with a visit to the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a three-game set on Friday.

Houston looked ready to relinquish its hold on first place briefly last weekend at Oakland but fought to avoid a sweep in that series and then took two of three at Seattle to push 1 1/2 games ahead of the Athletics and 5 1/2 clear of the Mariners entering play on Thursday. "I think the good thing about our team is that once someone gets out or gets a hit, they come back to the dugout and are really communicative toward their teammates," outfielder Tony Kemp told reporters. "That's good. Sometimes you hit slumps, you hit ruts, and people don't talk as much. But I think the main thing is our communication is at a high level right now, and that's what we have to keep doing to be successful." The Angels are 14 1/2 back but will get a chance to impact the race in the West with 10 more games against the Astros and six versus Oakland. Los Angeles will try to snap a three-game slide behind lefty Andrew Heaney on Friday while Houston counters with former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (9-10, 3.59 ERA) vs. Angels LH Andrew Heaney (7-7, 4.11)

Keuchel is winless in his last three starts and was knocked around for five runs on nine hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings at Oakland on Saturday. The 30-year-old surrendered three or fewer runs in each of his previous eight outings. The best performance in that bunch came at Los Angeles on July 20, when Keuchel breezed through 7 2/3 innings on two hits and yielded only an unearned run in the win.

Heaney struggled at Texas on Saturday, allowing six runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision. The Oklahoma native failed to post a quality start in three of his last four turns and owns a 1-1 record with a 6.46 ERA in that span. Heaney was sharp at home against the Astros on July 22, when he scattered one run and four hits over six innings to earn a win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros OF George Springer (quad) sat out the last three games and is day-to-day.

2. Los Angeles INF David Fletcher (knee) left Wednesday's game and is day-to-day.

3. Houston C Martin Maldonado has homered in three of his last four starts.

PREDICTION: Astros 7, Angels 4