Houston beat the Athletics 7-5 in the series opener, with Lucas Spence hitting three home runs and driving in five. Hunter Brown (6-3, 3.26 ERA) is set to start against Jacob Lopez (6-5, 5.68) in the second of four games at Sutter Health Park.
The Astros and Rangers have the same record with three games left in the AL West race. Houston holds the tiebreaker after winning the season series against Texas 9-4.
Spence hit his first three career home runs in the same game, becoming the third player in MLB history to do so and the second Astros rookie with a three-homer game.
