Game Preview: Athletics At Astros

(AP) - Scott Kazmir appeared to be in midseason form with a dazzling debut last week.

The Oakland Athletics could surely use another solid performance as they try to get back on track in the opener of a 10-game road trip against the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Kazmir had everything working in a 10-0 win over Texas on Wednesday, allowing one hit and two walks with 10 strikeouts over seven innings. The left-hander consistently hit 94 mph, a notch above his average velocity.

"When he's throwing that hard, you better guess right," manager Bob Melvin told MLB's official website.

Kazmir has also shined in his last five starts against the Astros, going 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 34 1-3 innings.

He'll try to give the A's (3-4) a boost after they suffered back-to-back extra-inning defeats to Seattle, falling 8-7 in 10 innings Sunday. Oakland rallied for four runs in the ninth before giving up the go-ahead homer in the top of the next inning.

Billy Butler raised his average to .407 with three hits and Sam Fuld went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, but the A's wasted a 7-for-17 effort with runners in scoring position.

The Astros (3-3) return home after taking two of three from Texas, winning 6-4 in 14 innings Sunday. Hank Conger delivered a go-ahead two-run homer in the 14th while Jake Marisnick and Luis Valbuena also went deep.

Houston is batting .195 despite collecting double-digit hits in all three games against the Rangers. Newcomer Evan Gattis is 0 for 20 with 12 strikeouts and Jose Altuve - who led the majors with a .341 average in 2014 - is 5 for 26. George Springer is also off to a slow start with four hits and 10 strikeouts in his first 23 at-bats.

The Astros will give the ball to Scott Feldman, who allowed one run over 6 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Cleveland. The right-hander looked sharp after going 0-3 with a 6.87 ERA during spring training.

"Not to say spring training has no meaning, but unless you're trying to make the team, you want to set yourself up to have a healthy season," he said. "Once the real games start, I felt confident that I'd be all right."

Feldman has gone 0-3 with a 1.80 ERA in his last five starts, receiving a combined five runs of support.

Feldman went 0-2 with a 3.90 ERA in four outings against the A's last season. Josh Reddick has had his number, going 6 for his last 19 with three homers and two doubles in their matchups.

Reddick went 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI in his season debut Sunday after missing the first six games with an oblique injury. He hit .385 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 17 games against Houston last year.

The A's, hitting the road for the first time, compiled a .234 average away from home in 2014 for the fourth-worst mark in baseball.

Butler has hit .209 in 43 at-bats at Minute Maid Park, his lowest mark in any stadium in which he's played more than six games.

Updated April 13, 2015