Athletics at Astros
The Houston Astros appear to have the American League West wrapped up with three weeks remaining in the regular season, but that doesn't mean they are taking their foot off the gas. The Astros will go for their fifth straight win and try to cut another game off their magic number when they host the Oakland Athletics in the first of a four-game series on Monday.
Houston, which owns a 55-17 home record, is battling the New York Yankees for the top spot in the American League and homefield advantage into the World Series and started its homestand with a four-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners, capped by Sunday's 21-1 trouncing. "We know what's at stake," Astros manager AJ Hinch told reporters after the win. "The mentality that served us well is winning today's game is going to get us to the next one. We have (Zack) Greinke going (Monday). That's the game we'll focus on. If we can build closer and closer to winning our division, that is our first goal. The sooner we can do that, the better." The Athletics sit 9 1/2 games behind Houston in the West and are more focused on the wild card race, where they lead the Cleveland Indians by 1 1/2 games for the No. 2 spot behind the Tampa Bay Rays. Oakland, which won five of its last six, will send veteran right-hander Mike Fiers to the mound on Monday opposite Greinke.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Mike Fiers (14-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. Astros RH Zack Greinke (14-5, 3.09)
Fiers last suffered a loss on May 1 at Boston and got some help from the offense on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, when he allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings but escaped without a decision. The Florida native failed to complete six innings in any of his last three outings but came out with a win in two of those turns. Fiers surrendered four home runs on six hits in six innings against Houston on Aug. 15 but did not factor in the decision in a game Oakland won 7-6.
Greinke suffered his first loss since joining the Astros when he was reached for four runs and eight hits in six innings at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The former Cy Young Award winner earned four straight wins to begin his tenure with Houston but is 0-1 in his last two turns while allowing a total of nine runs and 14 hits in 11 2/3 innings. Greinke had little trouble at Oakland on Aug. 18, yielding one run and four hits in seven frames to earn a win.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Athletics are expected to add No. 1 prospect LHP Jesus Luzardo to the roster on Monday.
2. Oakland SS Marcus Semien reached 105 runs scored on Sunday, fifth in the AL.
3. Houston 1B Yuli Gurriel (hamstring) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.