The Oakland Athletics are sitting dead-last in the AL West, 12.5 games behind the leading Houston Astros. They're coming into this contest off four straight losses while the Astros have won each of their last five, and I'm backing the hotter and better team in this contest.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Pitching - The A's will hand the ball to Drew Pomeranz (2-3, 4.42 ERA) who has been atrocious on the road all season going 0-3 with a 6.86 ERA over four starts. He's 0-2 with a 6.05 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against Houston, including 0-1 behind a 6.30 ERA in two outings this season. The Astros will counter with Lance McCullers who'll make his first major-league start on normal rest. He was 3-1 with a 0.62 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 29 innings at Double-A Corpus Christi before getting called up to the Astros, and this should prove to be a good spot for him coming up against the reeling A's.

2. Houston's Bullpen - Only the Royals bullpen has a better ERA on the year than Houston's 2.15 ERA. Oakland's is second worst in the majors with a 5.08 ERA.

3. X-Factor - The current members of the Astros have a combined batting average of .271 against Pomeranz with Jose Altuve going 5-for-10 with a double.

Selection: This is a play on the Houston Astros (10*)