Houston @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2015 ) Houston 5, Oakland 4

Runs will likely be hard to come by when the Oakland Athletics and right-hander Sonny Gray host the Houston Astros and lefty Dallas Keuchel on Friday in the second contest of a four-game series. Gray boasts the second-lowest ERA in the American League while Keuchel shares the league lead in victories with teammate Collin McHugh and Felix Hernandez of Seattle while posting the AL's third-lowest ERA, and faces an Oakland team which is 8-20 versus left-handers this season.

Houston was staring at its fourth straight loss — all on the road to start a nine-game trip — before rookie phenom Carlos Correa delivered a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Astros prevailed 5-4 in 10 innings after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth. The 20-year-old and youngest position player in the majors has 14 home runs — tied for the AL lead among shortstops with Toronto's Troy Tulowitzki — despite playing only 51 games while helping Houston increase its lead in the West to 2 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Angels. The last-place Athletics fell to 3-5 on their season-long 11-game homestand and are batting .180 with 23 runs scored during that span. Oakland's starters, though, have allowed one run or fewer in five of those games while posting a 2.68 ERA during homestand.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Houston), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (13-5, 2.35 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (11-4, 2.12)

Keuchel extended his franchise record to 33 consecutive starts of six or more innings — the longest active streak in the majors — after limiting Arizona to two runs and two hits while striking out eight in six frames of a 9-2 victory Saturday. The 27-year-old Oklahoman, though, has lost five of his last six starts on the road and is 3-5 with a 3.66 ERA in 10 turns away from home in 2015. Billy Butler, Josh Reddick and Brett Lawrie are a combined 4-for-39 against Keuchel, who is 2-2 with a 2.85 ERA in 11 games (nine starters) versus Oakland — 1-0 while not allowing an earned run in two starts covering 16 innings this season.

Gray received a no-decision after allowing one run, four hits and four walks while striking out seven in seven innings of a 2-1 victory over Cleveland on Sunday. The 25-year-old Tennessee native is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three starts since losing his first game following the All-Star break. Jose Altuve is 5-for-13 against Gray, who is 2-2 with a 2.67 ERA in four starts against the Astros after allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings of a 6-4 loss in Houston on May 19.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland starters lead the AL with a 3.11 ERA.

2. Altuve on Thursday stole his AL-leading 29th and 30th bases and went 3-for-5 with two runs scored — including the game-winner on Jed Lowrie's two-out double — after going 2-for-14 as the Astros were swept in Texas.

3. Houston is 3-13 in its last 16 road games.

PREDICTION: Athletics 2, Astros 1