Astros win streak ahead of Red Sox

Houston Astros (61-55, first in the AL West) vs. Boston Red Sox (61-54, third in the AL East)

Boston; Sunday, 1:35 p.m. EDT

Pitching Probables: Astros: Hunter Brown (9-7, 3.98 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 130 strikeouts); Red Sox: James Paxton (9-3, 4.42 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 73 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTS BETTING: LINE Astros -142, Red Sox +120; over/under is 10 points

IN BRIEF: The Houston Astros look to extend a four-game winning streak with a victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Boston is 27-30 at home and 61-54 overall. Red Sox hitters have a collective slugging percentage of .443, which ranks second in the American League.

Houston is 29-29 away from home and 61-55 overall. The Astros are 11-19 in games decided by one run.

The teams play Sunday for the third time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Rafael Devers is second on the Red Sox with 60 extra-base hits (30 doubles, five triples and 25 home runs). Rob Refsnyder is 8-for-29 with two doubles, three home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games.

Yordan Alvarez leads the Astros with 53 extra-base hits (27 doubles, two triples and 24 home runs). Yainer Diaz is 17-for-40 with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 5-5, .277 batting average, 5.36 ERA, even earned run differential

Astros: 6-4, .251 batting average, 3.29 ERA, balanced run differential

INJURIES: Red Sox: Cooper Criswell: 10-day IL (covid-19), Tyler O’Neill: 10-day IL (leg), Bryan Mata: 60-day IL (hamstring), Justin Slaten: 15-day IL (elbow), Triston Casas: 60-day IL (rib), Garrett Whitlock: 60-day IL (oblique), Trevor Story: 60-day IL (shoulder), Liam Hendriks: 60-day IL (elbow), Chris Murphy: 60-day IL (elbow), Lucas Giolito: 60-day IL (elbow)

Astros: Kyle Tucker: 60-day IL (shin), Justin Verlander: 15-day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-day IL (elbow)

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Skrive Data and the data of Sports radar.