Game Preview: Athletics At Astros

(AP) - No AL team strikes out as much as the Houston Astros, and Sonny Gray has amassed 28 strikeouts in his last three starts.

The Oakland Athletics starter is unbeaten against AL West opponents this year and has never lost to one on the road heading into Tuesday night's matchup in Houston.

The Astros (25-14) have struck out 356 times to trail only the Chicago Cubs' 363 in the majors.

That figures to play to the advantage of Gray (4-1, 1.61 ERA), who suffered his first loss Wednesday as he allowed one run over seven innings with nine strikeouts in a 2-0 home defeat to Boston.

Gray leads the AL in ERA, and is 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA in six starts against division foes. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in three career starts against the Astros with 20 strikeouts over 22 innings.

This is Gray's first start at Houston. He is 8-0 with a 1.03 ERA in 11 career road starts versus the AL West.

Reigning major league batting champion Jose Altuve is 4 for 11 against Gray.

Altuve's 29-game hitting streak against Oakland ended in Monday's 2-1 loss with an 0-for-3 effort. Altuve's streak was the second-longest hitting streak ever against the Athletics, behind Luke Appling's 31 games from 1939-40.

One concern for Gray will be his defense. Oakland (14-26) has committed a major league-high 43 errors, including 22 in a 15-game run with at least one which is its longest such streak since a 17-game stretch from May 6-23, 1982.

The Athletics have allowed the most unearned runs in the majors with 29. Shortstop Marcus Semien committed his major league-worst 15th error Monday.

Oakland ended a four-game slide in the opener of this three-game series. Brett Lawrie hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth as baseball's worst team won for the second time in 12 games and improved to 2-13 in one-run contests.

"We need a few of them," manager Bob Melvin said of the one-run win. "It's not going to exorcise all the demons but it certainly gives a night where we can sleep better."

Melvin received 4 2-3 hitless innings from his bullpen after starter Drew Pomeranz left in the fifth inning with left shoulder tightness.

Houston had a five-game win streak snapped and fell to 7-16 against Oakland at home since moving to the AL in 2013. Infield hits by Preston Tucker and Jake Marisnick were all the Astros mustered.

"We drew some walks (six), I think we hit the ball to the outfield hard a couple of times but we had what, a couple infield singles," manager A.J. Hinch said. "We just really couldn't break through with any sort of momentum."

A similar offensive effort would put pressure on starter Roberto Hernandez (1-3, 4.12), who is 5-7 with a 4.85 ERA in 13 career starts versus the A's. Billy Butler is a .316 hitter against him and Coco Crisp is 9 for 22 with a homer.

The right-hander completed at least six innings for the sixth consecutive start Thursday, allowing four runs over 6 1-3 before leaving without a decision in Thursday's 6-4 win over Toronto.

Updated May 19, 2015