Los Angeles @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 5, 2014 ) LA Angels 5, Houston 1

Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jered Weaver isn't concerned about a drop in his velocity and remains the confident ace of the staff. "They can talk about it all they want," Weaver told mlb.com prior to Opening Day. "I know I throw slow. What do you want me to do? But if I put it where I want to, I'm going to get people out." Weaver will try to bounce back from a sub-par outing to begin the season when the Angels try for their third straight victory over the Astros in Houston on Sunday.

Weaver will oppose Scott Feldman, whose Astros debut went very well as he shut down the New York Yankees on Tuesday with 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Josh Hamilton homered for the second straight game in Los Angeles' 5-1 victory Saturday and is 9-for-18 to start the season. Houston scored only 13 runs in its first five games and has been hurt by the absence of catcher Jason Castro (ankle) and center fielder Dexter Fowler (stomach virus) for the last two contests.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN West, CSN Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (0-1, 4.26 ERA) vs. Astros RH Scott Feldman (1-0, 0.00)

Weaver was 38-13 combined in 2011 and 2012 before last season's 11-8 campaign was marred by a broken non-pitching elbow April 7. The 6-7, 215-pounder decided to hire a massage therapist during the offseason, and the work resulted in him adding some two miles per hour to his fastball, moving into the high 80s. It didn't lead to much success against Seattle on Monday, when he yielded four runs (three earned) and six hits while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings of Los Angeles' 10-3 loss.

Feldman pitched like an ace against the Yankees as he allowed two hits and more importantly gives the Astros hope for a stabilizing force at the top of the rotation. The 6-7 Kailua, Hawaii, native was 12-12 with the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore in 2013, nearly enjoying his first winning season since going 17-9 with Texas in 2009. Feldman is 4-6 with a 5.31 ERA in 21 appearances (12 starts) against the Angels with Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick a combined 18-for-39 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Hamilton is hitting .352 with 16 home runs and 41 RBIs in 52 games against the Astros.

2. Los Angeles has won seven of its last eight games in Houston.

3. Fowler, who was admitted to a hospital Friday night and released Saturday, could return to the lineup Sunday, according to Astros manager Bo Porter.

PREDICTION: Angels 3, Astros 2