Astros cling to AL West lead as they finish West Coast swing with matchup vs. Giants

The Houston Astros hope to head home with a lead in the American League West and a 3-3 record on a six-game Western swing when they wrap up their trip with a third consecutive matchup against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.

The Astros have lost three of five games in San Diego and San Francisco but retain a half-game lead in the AL West over the Texas Rangers, who will face the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday night.

Houston manager Joe Espada will have several key decisions to make before the series finale in San Francisco, including who his starting pitcher will be. He left the ballpark after Tuesday's 4-1 loss to San Francisco undecided who would make the getaway-day start.

Left-hander Bryan King (2-3, 3.83 ERA) will start for the Astros on Wednesday. Houston already has announced that Ronel Blanco will open a homestand Friday in a key division matchup with the Seattle Mariners.

Espada likely will need help in determining whether to play two of his top hitters, both of whom were hit on the foot with pitches on Tuesday, in Wednesday's game.

Jose Altuve took a direct hit on his left foot in the first inning. He remained in the game to take his base, then played second base defensively in the bottom of the inning before being pulled from the lineup.

The Astros labeled the injury a contusion, and no immediate announcement was made about possible X-rays.

Nick Allen replaced Altuve and went 0-for-3.

Yordan Alvarez had a similar -- albeit less painful -- experience when he was struck by a Carson Seymour pitch in the right foot in the seventh inning. Alvarez completed the game, although he never batted again.

If there was good news for the Astros after the loss, it was that star closer Josh Hader had responded well to a rare two-inning outing in Monday's 6-3, 10-inning win over the Giants.

Espada acknowledged having some nervousness in asking Hader to go more than one inning for the first time this season.

"We've got to be very careful how often we do that," the manager told reporters, "but I thought where he's at right now -- (11) pitches in his first inning -- it was a good time to do it."

For the Giants, four rookies -- Carson Whisenhunt, Bryce Eldridge, Osleivis Basabe and Drew Cavanaugh -- contributed to Tuesday's bounce-back win. San Francisco was one pitch away from a regulation, 3-2 win in the series opener Monday before giving up a ninth-inning run and three runs in the 10th in the 6-3 loss.

"We haven't been great in those situations," Giants manager Tony Vitello noted about putting the past behind the team this season. "I feel our group has been better responding to difficult nights like (Monday) night. And (Tuesday's win) was one of the best ones of the year."

- Field Level Media