ASTROS-ROCKIES PREVIEW

Astros eye crucial wins in Rockies showdown to close gap on .500

Astros Hunter Brown
Hunter Brown takes the mound for Houston on Tuesday night. Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images.

Colorado Rockies (27-51, fifth in the NL West) vs. Houston Astros (38-40, second in the AL West)

Houston; Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rockies: Austin Gomber (1-4, 4.36 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 52 strikeouts); Astros: Hunter Brown (4-5, 4.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 82 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -263, Rockies +215; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros take on the Colorado Rockies after Alex Bregman had four hits against the Orioles on Sunday.

Houston is 22-19 at home and 38-40 overall. The Astros have the fourth-best team slugging percentage in the majors at .423.

Colorado is 27-51 overall and 11-27 on the road. The Rockies have the eighth-ranked team slugging percentage in the NL at .397.

The matchup Tuesday is the third meeting between these teams this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jose Altuve has a .299 batting average to lead the Astros, and has 16 doubles and 12 home runs. Bregman is 16-for-42 with two RBI over the past 10 games.

Ryan McMahon ranks second on the Rockies with 31 extra base hits (17 doubles and 14 home runs). Hunter Goodman is 9-for-37 with a double, five home runs and 10 RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 7-3, .284 batting average, 3.78 ERA, outscored opponents by 14 runs

Rockies: 3-7, .277 batting average, 6.60 ERA, outscored by 10 runs

INJURIES: Astros: Jake Bloss: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Victor Caratini: 10-Day IL (hip), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Kyle Tucker: 10-Day IL (shin), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Rockies: Charlie Blackmon: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Adael Amador: 10-Day IL (oblique), Josh Rogers: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Elias Diaz: 10-Day IL (calf), Kris Bryant: 10-Day IL (rib), Jordan Beck: 10-Day IL (wrist), Lucas Gilbreath: 60-Day IL (elbow), Daniel Bard: 60-Day IL (knee), German Marquez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Antonio Senzatela: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.

The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.

Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.

Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.

Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Key moment

Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.

Key Stat

Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.

Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.

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