Arizona @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 12, 2014 ) Arizona 4, Houston 5

The Houston Astros, fresh off a three-game sweep of American League West-rival Los Angeles, host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in the opener of a three-game interleague series. Houston leads the Angels by two games in the AL West after Jason Castro's walk-off three-run homer gave the Astros a 3-0 victory Thursday, improving their major league-best home record to 36-17 with their seventh consecutive victory at Minute Maid Park - their longest run at home since winning nine straight in 2008.

Houston is 9-3 since the All-Star break and boasts a 2.76 ERA during that span as it is poised to reach the postseason for the first time since being swept by the Chicago White Sox in the 2005 World Series. Arizona carries a five-game winning streak into the series after losing six of its first eight games coming out of the All-Star break. "I felt like even when we were losing, we were playing hard and they were giving it everything they had every night, so it's hard for the manager to get upset," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale told reporters after Arizona completed a three-game sweep in Seattle on Wednesday with an 8-2 victory over Felix Hernandez. "We're doing a little better with the execution, we're situationally hitting better, we're getting a couple two-out hits with guys in scoring position and the big thing here is our starting pitching has been fantastic." Arizona's Rubby De La Rosa tries for his third straight victory and opposes Scott Feldman, who is working his way back from a knee injury.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Rubby De La Rosa (8-5, 4.62 ERA) vs. Astros RH Scott Feldman (4-5, 4.54)

De La Rosa permitted four hits and two walks while striking out six in eight innings of a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday after allowing one run in seven innings of a 3-1 win over Miami on July 20. It is quite a turnaround for the 26-year-old Dominican, who yielded 10 runs and 16 hits over 8 2/3 innings in losing his previous two starts and was winless in four turns. De La Rosa received a no-decision after allowing six runs and nine hits in four innings of his last start against Houston in 2014 while with Boston and is 0-1 with a 9.28 ERA in four games (two starts) versus the Astros.

Feldman received a no-decision after giving up one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 2-1 loss in Kansas City on Saturday in his second start since being placed on the disabled list May 26. The 32-year-old Hawaii native yielded four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-6 loss to Texas on July 18. Paul Goldschmidt is 1-for-6 with four strikeouts against Feldman, who is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five games (four starts) versus Arizona.

WALK-OFFS

1. Goldschmidt, who leads the National League in hitting (.347) and is second in the majors with 77 RBIs, is 15-for-35 with a home run, three RBIs, seven runs scored and 13 walks during an 11-game hitting streak.

2. Houston 2B Jose Altuve on Thursday went 0-for-3 to end his 18-game home hitting streak - a Minute Maid Park record.

3. Arizona has won 13 of the last 17 meetings, but lost three of four in 2014.

PREDICTION: Astros 3, Diamondbacks 2