Opposite dugout: Will home cooking help Astros avenge earlier series loss to O's?

Manager: A.J. Hinch (1st season)

Record: 31-20

Last 10 games: 4-6

Who to watch: 2B Jose Altuve (.296/.344/.417 with 25 RBIs, 15 SB), LF Colby Rasmus (8 HR, 17 RBIs), RF George Springer (7 HR, 17 RBIs), DH Evan Gattis (11 HR, 31 RBIs), LHP Dallas Keuchel (7-1, 1.76 ERA), RHP Luke Gregerson (3.74 ERA, 13 saves)

Season series vs. Orioles: 1-2

Pitching probables:

June 1: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez vs. LHP Brett Oberholtzer, 8:10 p.m., MASN2
June 2: RHP Mike Wright vs. RHP Collin McHugh, 8:10 p.m., MASN2
June 3: RHP Miguel Gonzalez vs. RHP Lance McCullers, 8:10 p.m., MASN2
June 4: LHP Wei-Yin Chen vs. LHP Dallas Keuchel, 2:10 p.m., MASN

Inside the Astros:

The Astros will be out for revenge after the Orioles handed them their first road series loss of 2015, taking two of three games at Camden Yards last week. Houston remains in first place in the American League West, four games ahead of the Angels, and continues to make the most of strong pitching and opportunistic offense based on the home run ball. But the Astros have struggled of late, dropping two straight series and three of four games overall.

Despite some key hitters flirting with the Mendoza line, the Astros continue to lead the majors with 68 home runs. Not surprisingly, their ranking in runs scored (219, 11th) and slugging percentage (.417, fifth) are also among the top marks in the big leagues. But their all-or-nothing results are clearly demonstrated by the fact that the Astros have 404 hits, good only for 24th, and a .305 on-base percentage, which ranks them 23rd. When the get on base, the Astros run - they are tied for the fourth-most stolen bases (43) in the majors - but it's getting on base that's been the issue. They either seem to homer or quietly trudge back to the dugout.

Luckily, the guys from Houston have gotten pretty solid pitching. But the Orioles figured out their arms in Baltimore, so we'll see if that trend continues or whether the Astros make the most of home cooking at Minute Maid Park.

Lefty Brett Oberholtzer gets the start in the series opener on Monday - assuming he doesn't get a blister while buttering his roll at Sunday supper. Oberholtzer had blister issues in spring training, returned to the rotation on May 13 and lasted only three innings before going on the DL with - you guessed it - a blister on his throwing hand. The Astros are hoping he's fit and ready, as Oberholtzer has a career 2-0 record and 0.64 ERA in two starts against Baltimore. He mixes a fastball, changeup and curve, and over his career, right-handers hit him at a .275 clip, with left-handers owning a .287 mark. He's never been a first-half pitcher - the 2-7 record and 4.71 ERA are proof - but he's posted a 3.94 ERA and 5-9 record at home.

The Orioles saw Collin McHugh in Baltimore last week, and even though the righty scheduled to start Tuesday took a no-decision, he did what he's usually done this season. In 10 starts, he's gone at least six innings eight times, so he usually manages to give the bullpen a breather. But May wasn't as successful as April was: In 39 innings last month, McHugh worked to a 4.99 ERA and allowed eight home runs (after posting a 2.92 ERA in April). Right-handers have tagged him for six homers and a .306 average, while lefty swingers have a .279 mark. This season, he's 3-1 at home, but with an inflated 5.94 ERA. Hitters should be ready for an 87 mph slider and a 90 mph fastball, which account for about 71 percent of his pitches.

Righty Lance McCullers, listed as the Wednesday starter, is a second-generation major leaguer - his father, Lance McCullers, pitched for four teams from 1985-90 and was nicknamed "Baby Goose." His son has worked six or more innings only one time in his three starts, but has yet to surrender a home run. He's holding foes to a .237 batting average, with lefties hitting .179 and righties .290. When he does allow runners, McCullers toughens up - with runners in scoring position, he yields only a .154 average. He throws a 94 mph fastball about 55 percent of the time, complementing the heat with an 84 mph curve, so he's most effective when he can change speeds and not fall into discernable patterns.

Sunday starter Dallas Keuchel hopes he'll have better results than he had last week at Camden Yards, when the Orioles clubbed two homers off the lefty, upping his season total to three. Still, he's a strong candidate to start for the American League in the All-Star Game, based on his first-half performance. He shook off his only loss of the campaign to post a four-hit, complete-game shutout over the White Sox on Saturday, and now boasts a 1.76 ERA, tops in the AL. Keuchel has worked at least six innings in all 10 of his starts this season, and seven or more seven times. If there was any doubt, he's emerged as the Astros' ace. Roughly six out of every 10 pitches he throws are fastballs, and he's got some giddy-up on his heater, which tops out around 93 mph. But it comes in between 86-93 mph, so the change of speeds can sometimes confuse hitters. In three starts against the Orioles, he's 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA.

While the Astros are riding good pitching - it's not just the starters, the bullpen has a 2.28 ERA, second in the AL and third in the majors - they're getting contributions up and down the lineup. A few players have hit all season, but mostly the Astros are taking turns wielding a hit bat. Designated hitter Evan Gattis is a prime example. Two weeks ago, he was looking up at .200, but since May 19, he's raised his average to .230 and now leads the club in home runs (11) and RBIs (31). Speedy second baseman Jose Altuve had the hot stick in April, but has cooled down, with a .231 May that featured only six extra-base hits. Still, when he gets on base, he's a threat to run, and when the Astros are motoring around the bases, opposing pitchers tend to make mistakes that Houston hitters punish, at least occasionally. Third baseman Luis Valbuena (.188) has 10 homers, left fielder Colby Rasmus (.239) and first baseman Chris Carter (.190) have eight each, and right fielder George Springer (.222) has seven. But with all those homers come strikeouts - and in bunches. Carter is tied with Baltimore's Chris Davis for the league lead with 69 whiffs, while Springer (56) and Rasmus (52) also rank among the top 10 in this dubious category.

Houston's bullpen may not carry a lot of name recognition, but results are much more important. Righties Will Harris and Josh Fields have combined to yield three earned runs in 37 innings pitched. The Astros' offseason acquisitions of setup man Pat Neshek and closer Luke Gregerson have paid off handsomely. Right-hander Gregerson has 13 saves in 14 tries and a 1.06 WHIP, while righty Neshek has posted a 2.41 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. The Astros are also getting quality relief work from left-handers Tony Sipp (2.41) and Joe Thatcher (2.70) and veteran right-hander Chad Qualls (2.79).