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Astros-Red Sox Preview

Jul 4, 2015 - 5:51 AM The second half of the schedule for the Houston Astros has started much like the stellar first - with a victory.

Now they have a chance to record their longest win streak in two months Saturday afternoon against the Boston Red Sox, who will lean on their hottest pitcher.

Houston (48-34) won game No. 82 on Friday 12-8 in 10 innings, as Jose Altuve drove in two runs, Jon Singleton had three RBIs and Carlos Correa tallied three hits, including his sixth home run.

The Astros, who lead the AL West by five games, did not win their 48th game in 2014 until Aug. 8, and not in 2013 until Sept. 9.

"This is an aggressive team," Red Sox manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "They're built around the home run, they're aggressive on the basepaths, and you look at the way their pitching has emerged both in the rotation and the bullpen, that's why they're in first place."

Another strong performance from Collin McHugh (9-3, 4.51 ERA) could help the Astros win six in a row for the first time since a season-best 10-game run April 24-May 3.

The right-hander was excellent for the second consecutive start Sunday, limiting the New York Yankees to one run and two hits over eight innings in a 3-1 victory. He's won his last three outings and has a 1.69 ERA in his past two.

"It's not just like he logged innings (Sunday), he logged innings while using his best stuff," manager A.J. Hinch said. "That's a tough lineup to get through and a lot of damage that could be done. Just a really, really good pitching performance."

He faces a Boston lineup that has been very productive recently despite Friday's defeat. The Red Sox (37-45) have totaled 20 runs and 30 hits in their last two games, batting .349 in that time.

Hanley Ramirez has homered in each contest, David Ortiz has five RBIs and Xander Bogaerts is 6 for 10 with four runs.

Clay Buchholz (6-6, 3.48) will look for a similar level of offensive support Saturday while also continuing a very impressive string of starts. The right-hander, who ranked last among qualifying pitchers with a 5.34 ERA in 2014, has won his last three outings, posting a 0.82 ERA while striking out 15 and walking two.

He matched his longest start of the season Monday with eight innings and five hits allowed in a 3-1 win at Toronto.

"He's been on a really strong run through the entire month and tonight tops off the month he's had," Farrell said. "He was outstanding."

Buchholz has gone seven starts spanning 48 innings without allowing a home run, and has only surrendered five in 101 innings this season.

Last season's struggles did not apply to Houston, as Buchholz dominated the Astros in two outings. He pitched a three-hit shutout on July 13, then allowed two runs in seven innings with nine strikeouts on Aug. 15.

Buchholz is 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA in three career starts against Houston.

Altuve is 1 for 12 against Buchholz, an .083 average that ranks as his second-worst against any pitcher with at least 10 at-bats. However, the second baseman is batting .395 during an 11-game hitting streak, and is 9 for 15 with six RBIs in his last three meetings with the Red Sox.

The Astros are 3-9 all-time at Fenway Park.