Seattle @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2015 ) Seattle 7, Houston 5

The Houston Astros are leading the pack in the American League West by three games over Texas in large part due to a pitching staff that has been among the best in the AL since the All-Star break. The Astros watched a big part of that staff walk off the mound with an injury Tuesday and will try to pick veteran Scott Feldman up by taking the rubber match of a three-game series from the visiting Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

Houston’s homer-and-strikeout offense is prone to peaks and valleys, but the pitching staff has been a consistent force in leading the team into postseason contention. Feldman, who walked off the mound in the third inning Tuesday with discomfort in his right (pitching) shoulder, provides a veteran presence in the rotation and has been absorbing innings and taking pressure off the bullpen since returning after the All-Star break. The Mariners took advantage of Feldman’s early exit and went on to win 7-5 to pull to 3-3 on their 10-game road trip. Scott Kazmir will try to give the bullpen a night off when he takes the mound for the Astros on Wednesday opposite Seattle right-hander Taijuan Walker.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (10-7, 4.53 ERA) vs. Astros LH Scott Kazmir (7-9, 2.45)

Walker dominated the Chicago White Sox through 6 1/3 innings Friday before leaving with a hip cramp, surrendering no runs and three hits while striking out six in the win. The 23-year-old has not lost since July 12 and posted a quality start in six of his last seven turns. Walker struck out a career-high 11 in a win over Houston on June 20 and is 4-1 with a 4.46 ERA in seven career starts against the Astros.

Kazmir absorbed the loss for the fourth time in his last five starts when he yielded three runs on as many hits in seven innings at Minnesota on Friday. The Texas native allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of his seven starts since joining Houston but is 2-4 in that span while receiving an average of 2.3 runs of support. Kazmir breezed past Seattle as a member of the Oakland Athletics on July 2, when he scattered two hits and struck out seven in eight scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez has homered in four of his last six games.

2. Houston SS Carlos Correa (quad) is 3-for-9 with homer in two games since returning to the lineup.

3. Seattle former SS Brad Miller is 4-for-8 in two games since moving to CF full time following the trade of Austin Jackson.

PREDICTION: Astros 4, Mariners 2