The set-up: The Houston Astros have overcome injuries and nagging ailments to frontline starters to post the best record in the majors (52-25) with the midpoint of the season fast approaching. Oddly, the Astros own a league-leading 29-9 record away from home (20-4 run over their last three road trips) but here at Minute Maid Park, they are a modest 23-16. The team's .589 home winning percentage ranks just seventh in the majors. In fact, over their past two homestands, the Astros went just 9-10 and won only two of six series during that stretch. Houston welcomes the 34-42 Oakland's A's to town for a three-games series and Oakland limps in witha 12-25 road record in 2017, getting outscored on average, 5.24-to-3.84 RPG. The A's are already 17 1/2 games behind the Astros in the AL West.

The pitching matchup: Sean Manaea (6-4 & 4.05 ERA) gets the call for the A's and Mike Fiers (5-2 & 3.81 ERA) for teh Astros. Manaea has lost just once in his last seven starts (he's 5-1 and the team 6-1), although that defeat came in his last outing when he allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings of a 5-1 setback to Houston. Manaea has pitched well versus the Astros but owns an 0-2 mark despite allowing a combined eight ERs (2.23 ERA) in six career starts versus them (surprisingly, the A's are just 1-5 in those starts!).
Fiers has recovered from a tough start to the season, posting a 4-0 mark with a 1.72 ERA in his last five outings (Astros are 4-1). He's allowed just a single run in each of his last three outings, after scattering three hits over six innings to out-duel Manaea in beating the A's last Wednesday. His career record is not much against Oakland, as he's 1-2 with a 3.89 ERA in seven starts (teams are 2-5).

The pick: I noted Oakland's poor road record earlier but will add that they are start playing better at home and with the red-hot Fiers on the mound are an 8* play here.