Astros at Yankees
The New York Yankees - aka the Bronx Bombers - carry a season-high eight-game winning streak into Sunday's four-game series finale against the struggling Houston Astros. New York has homered in 25 straight contests, tying the franchise record set in 1941 and moving within two games of matching the major-league record set by Texas in 2002 after belting a pair in Saturday's 7-5 victory.
The Yankees (49-27) lead the American League East by 5 1/2 games over Tampa Bay and have outscored their opponents 60-23 during their winning streak. Houston (48-30) has lost a season-high seven straight contests but still holds a comfortable lead in the AL West. Astros rookie Yordan Alvarez continued the hot start to his career by going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer on Saturday and is 14-for-43 with six blasts and 14 RBIs in his first 12 games. Houston's Justin Verlander on Sunday makes his fourth attempt at his 10th victory as he opposes J.A. Happ, who is 6-0 with a 4.29 ERA in his last eight starts.
TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network; AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Justin Verlander (9-3, 2.59 ERA) vs. Yankees LH J.A. Happ (7-3, 4.59)
Verlander is 0-1 with a 4.43 ERA in his last three starts after going 9-2, 2.16 over his first 13 turns of the season. The 36-year-old Virginian - fourth in baseball with 133 strikeouts - has yielded three home runs in each of his last two outings, including a 4-3 loss at Cincinnati on Tuesday. Edwin Encarnacion is 5-for-38 with two home runs and seven strikeouts versus Verlander, who is 7-7 with a 3.54 ERA in 21 starts against the Yankees after allowing three runs in six innings of a no-decision in Houston's 4-3 victory on April 8.
Happ permitted two runs and seven hits in five innings of a 6-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. New York has scored 45 runs during the 36-year-old native of Illinois' unbeaten streak, winning seven of the games. Jose Altuve is 3-for-17 with a home run against Happ, who is 5-2 with a 3.46 ERA in nine starts versus Houston.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York C Gary Sanchez, who along with Encarnacion leads the AL with 23 home runs, brings a six-game hitting streak (9-for-23, three HRs, 12 RBIs, six runs) into the series finale after being rested on Saturday.
2. Astros LF Michael Brantley went 3-for-4 on Saturday for his third three-hit performance in the last five contests.
3. The Yankees, who haven't been shut out in 158 straight games, are a major league-best 30-3 when hitting at least two home runs.