Astros at Angels
Mike Trout is hopeful of returning to the lineup when the Los Angeles Angels host the Houston Astros on Wednesday for the third contest of their four-game series. Trout missed the first two games of the set with a right calf strain but plans to lobby to be in the lineup as the Angels look to match a season best with their sixth consecutive win.
Trout hit eight homers in a seven-game span prior to being injured on Sunday and will test the sore calf before Wednesday's contest. "I obviously want to play," Trout told reporters ahead of Tuesday's 7-2 victory. "They're being smart. You have to be smart with this. I've had a lot of people tell me calves are no joke. But I feel good." Albert Pujols recorded three RBIs in each of the first two games of the series as the Angels scored 16 runs against the Astros, who have dropped four of their last six contests. Tyler White notched three hits and drove in both runs on Tuesday for Houston, which saw its lead over Oakland in the American League West slip to 4 1/2 games.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (9-5, 3.23 ERA) vs. Angels RH Felix Pena (7-2, 4.32)
Cole has won five consecutive decisions and is unbeaten in nine turns since losing to the Chicago White Sox on May 22. The 28-year-old did not factor in the decision against Texas in his last outing, when he registered 13 strikeouts in six innings but served up three homers while yielding four runs and five hits. Cole scattered three hits over seven scoreless frames to defeat the Angels on July 6 and is 4-1 with a 3.02 ERA in seven career starts.
Pena is coming off the best performance of his career on Friday, when he pitched the final seven innings of a combined no-hitter against Seattle. The 29-year-old followed Taylor Cole to the mound in that outing but will start the contest this time as he aims for his third straight victory. Pena beat the Astros on July 5, when he gave up two runs and three hits over four innings, and is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in three career appearances against the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros OF Jake Marisnick was plunked in the upper back by a pitch from RHP Noe Ramirez in the sixth inning on Tuesday as apparent retaliation for bowling over C Jonathan Lucroy (concussion/nose) earlier this month in Houston.
2. Los Angeles 2B Luis Rengifo was 2-for-4 with two RBIs on Tuesday and is 12-for-30 over his last nine appearances.
3. Houston INF Yuli Gurriel is 5-for-9 in the series and batting .408 (29-for-71) with 11 homers and 23 RBIs over his last 17 games.