Astros-Angels Preview
While the Houston Astros' struggling ace looks to ease his frustration, the Los Angeles Angels' former ace hopes to build on his recent success. Dallas Keuchel will try to avoid his longest losing streak in four years while helping the visiting Astros even this three-game series Saturday night against Jered Weaver and the Angels. Houston (20-29) had a 2.03 ERA during a season-high three-game winning streak before Mike Fiers allowed seven runs over just 3 2/3 innings in Friday's 7-2 defeat. Now the Astros, tied with Oakland for last in the AL West, are turning to Keuchel (2-6, 5.92 ERA) as they look to avoid a 17th loss in 24 road games. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, however, hasn't been anywhere near the same pitcher he was last season. The left-hander allowed at least five runs for the fifth time in 10 starts Sunday after giving up that many three times in 33 outings during his 20-win season a year ago. Keuchel surrendered seven runs over six innings in that contest, a 9-2 loss to Texas. The 28-year-old has gone 0-5 with a 7.78 ERA over his last seven starts. It's his longest losing streak since a seven-game slide during his 2012 rookie season. "Dallas is searching for answers," manager A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website. "It's a bad stretch of starts, but he's going to figure it out and it's going to start with his mechanics and body positioning and how consistently he can get back to getting down the hill. His pitches are really good." Keuchel has gone 5-1 with a 2.49 ERA in his last seven meetings with Los Angeles (22-26). Mike Trout went 5 for 12 with a home run when facing him last season, though Albert Pujols was 0 for 12. Trout doubled and drove in three runs Friday while Pujols hit his 570th career home run to move within three of Harmon Killebrew for 11th all-time. The Angels have won four of six at home and totaled 16 runs in their last two overall. The soft-tossing Weaver (4-3, 5.33) hopes that offensive surge continues as he looks to build on his last two performances. Since posting a 6.96 ERA over a six-start stretch, he's given up five earned runs over 14 innings in those outings. Weaver won for the first time in almost a month Sunday when he allowed two runs and struck out a season-high six over seven innings in a 10-2 home win over Baltimore. "There's some good days and bad days," the right-hander said. "If I get hit around, I'm going to take my beating like a man. If I go out there and keep the team in the game and we're able to win, that's a plus overall." Weaver had been 4-1 with a 1.67 ERA over his previous six starts versus Houston before giving up five runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 6-3 road loss in September. Carlos Correa went 3 for 5 with a homer and Jose Altuve was 7 for 13 off him last season. Colby Rasmus is 1 for 17 lifetime in the matchup, but he went 2 for 4 Friday after going hitless in 11 at-bats over his previous three games. Colin Moran had two hits and two RBIs after going 0 for 13 to begin his big-league career. |