Houston @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2014 ) Houston 2, Cleveland 3

The Cleveland Indians are hanging around the fringes of the American League wild card race and cannot afford a series loss to a team with a losing record. The Indians will try to avoid just that when they host the Houston Astros in the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday. Cleveland took two of three in Minnesota this week and will face another losing team in the Chicago White Sox after finishing up with the Astros.

The Indians are five games behind the Seattle Mariners in the race for the second wild card and narrowly avoided a loss Saturday when Jose Ramirez delivered a walk-off single for a 3-2 triumph. Houston is already far ahead of their pace from 2013 and is content to spoil things for the teams in contention. The Astros put a dent in the New York Yankees’ plans with a series win in the Bronx this week and get to pick on Oakland and Los Angeles on the next homestand.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CSN Houston, STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Brett Oberholtzer (4-8, 4.01 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (4-7, 4.41)

Oberholtzer had a string of six straight quality starts come to an end in New York on Tuesday, when he was reached for four runs in 5 1/3 innings in a game Houston came back to win. The 25-year-old had gone seven innings while allowing two or fewer runs in each of his previous three turns. Oberholtzer faced Cleveland twice in his 2013 rookie campaign - one start - and surrendered a total of two earned runs in eight innings.

Bauer allowed five runs in the first inning at Minnesota on Tuesday but battled through 4 2/3 innings and did not factor in the decision. The 23-year-old is 0-3 in his last six starts and failed to make it through five innings in three of those outings. Bauer has never faced Houston and is 3-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 10 home starts this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. C Chris Gimenez, who was acquired by the Indians from Texas on Saturday, is expected to serve as the backup.

2. Astros 2B Jose Altuve, who leads the AL with a .333 batting average, is 3-for-22 in his career in Cleveland.

3. Houston OF George Springer (quad) is progressing in his rehab by taking batting practice and running.

PREDICTION: Astros 4, Indians 3