Astros at Reds
The Houston Astros will try to bounce back from their second-most lopsided loss of the year when they begin a three-game interleague series at the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros managed seven hits - all singles - and left 10 runners on base in a 12-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, capping a 5-3 homestand.
Houston has not lost two in a row since May 22-23 and will try to avoid that fate against a squad that is coming off a rare offensive outburst. Jesse Winker homered among four hits and drove in five runs to lead Cincinnati to an 11-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. The Reds had averaged just 2.5 runs over their previous 11 contests, finishing 3-8 in that dry spell. They will give the ball to ace Luis Castillo in Monday's series opener, while Houston - which has won 13 of its last 15 on the road - turns to Wade Miley.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Wade Miley (6-3, 3.14 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (6-1, 2.20)
Miley spun six scoreless innings to get a win over Baltimore on June 9, improving to 11-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 30 starts over the last two years. He has a 2.89 ERA in 10 career starts against the Reds and is 4-0 with a 2.27 mark in six starts at Great American Ball Park. Yasiel Puig is among the few Cincinnati hitters who have had some success against Miley, going 6-for-17 with a home run and six walks in their matchups.
Castillo has allowed exactly one earned run in three straight starts while yielding 12 hits in 17 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old is 3-1 with a sparkling 1.87 ERA in seven home turns. Castillo, who is 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA in four career interleague starts, has never faced the Astros.
WALK-OFFS
1. Puig is 10-for-20 with two homers and two doubles during a five-game hitting streak.
2. Houston rookie LF Yordan Alvarez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts Sunday after opening his career in the majors by going 8-for-17 with four home runs in five games.
3. The Astros took two of three in the last series between the two teams in 2016.