Boston @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 12, 2014 ) Boston 2, Houston 3

The Boston Red Sox looked like they were figuring out how to hit in the clutch, but one poor performance in that area brought them right back down. The Red Sox will try to bounce back on Sunday when they visit the Houston Astros in the rubber match of a three-game series. Boston earned a pair of walk-off wins before running the winning streak to three straight in the series opener but fell flat in a 3-2 loss on Saturday.

The bad news for the Red Sox was good for the Astros, who picked up their fourth win in five games on Saturday and pushed across the run they needed in the eighth inning. Houston’s young team showed off with Jose Altuve and Jason Castro delivering two extra-base hits apiece on Saturday and Chris Carter, who homered twice in Friday’s game, delivering the game-winning RBI. Boston is enjoying its own youth movement and got multiple hits from rookies Brock Holt, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts in Saturday’s game after rookie Christian Vazquez started in the opener.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CSN Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (3-5, 6.11 ERA) vs. Astros RH Brad Peacock (3-5, 4.30)

Buchholz struck out seven but surrendered a pair of home runs in seven innings to suffer a loss against the Chicago White Sox on Monday. The Texas native has issued only one walk in three starts since coming off the disabled list but yielded five home runs in that span. Buchholz is making his second career start against Houston after allowing two runs in 7 2/3 innings to earn a win in his first chance.

Peacock learned he would be starting the first-half finale when Collin McHugh went on the disabled list Saturday, pushing scheduled starter Jarred Cosart back to after the break. Peacock allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings to earn a win at Texas on Tuesday, striking out five without issuing a walk. The 26-year-old started at Boston last season and was knocked around for five runs on six hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros 1B Jon Singleton is 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in the series and has fanned at least once in 11 straight games.

2. Holt, a Texas native playing his first series in his home state, is 5-for-9 in the series.

3. Houston RHP Josh Fields struck out 11 of the last 18 batters he has faced.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Astros 4