Surging Yankees set to face shaky Astros pitching

The New York Yankees' offense is picking up, and a few players are on modest hot streaks, resulting in a two-week surge to get within striking distance of the American League East lead.

New York attempts to continue its surge and improve its positioning in the AL East race when it hosts the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday night.

The Yankees have won six of their past seven games, falling Saturday when they were hitless for 6 2/3 innings but still drew five walks off Toronto ace Dylan Cease. New York has scored 32 runs during its past seven games, has a .228 batting average and a .707 OPS in its hot streak.

During Sunday's 8-3 home victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees had 11 hits and worked four walks.

Trent Grisham hit a home run in the eighth inning after drawing the go-ahead base-loaded walk in the sixth. Grisham has six home runs and is batting .300 over his past 13 games. Ben Rice had a two-run single and has reached base in nine of 23 plate appearances over his past five games.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. had two hits for New York, including a home run and is 6-for-17 (.353) in his past five games while rookie Spencer Jones is batting .308 in his past 11 games after contributing an RBI double Sunday.

The Yankees' Cody Bellinger singled Sunday in his return from a strained left hamstring.

"Those are the best (games) when everyone's playing a big role, and that was certainly the case today," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

The Astros head into a six-game New York road trip against the Yankees with a 5-9 record since Aug. 8. Six of those losses are by three runs or fewer, while the Astros are coming off a pair of one-run home losses to the Athletics and enter the series after parting ways with general manager Dana Brown on Monday.

The Houston pitching staff has a 5.04 ERA in its past 14 games. The Astros saw their bullpen struggles continue when they lost a six-run lead and absorbed a 7-6 loss to the A's on Sunday after blowing a lead in Saturday's 4-3 loss.

"We let some games slip away from us," Houston first baseman Christian Walker said. "We're a better team than this. We should expect more out of ourselves. It's not doubting, it's not questioning or second-guessing. It's just being (angry) because we know we're capable of more."

Jose Altuve and Issac Paredes hit early home runs while Yordan Alvarez was intentionally walked three times. Altuve is hitting .303 (10-for-33) in his past nine games while Paredes is hitting .345 (19-for-55) in his past 15 games.

Alvarez has 36 homers and is hitting .320 but is hitting .245 with one homer in his past 15 games. He was walked intentionally three times on Sunday, setting a new franchise mark with 28. Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell set the previous mark of 27 in 1997.

The Yankees will send right-hander Will Warren (8-6, 4.43 ERA) to the mound Tuesday. He is 1-5 with a 5.77 ERA over his past 13 appearances and took his second straight no-decision Wednesday in Baltimore when he allowed two runs on three hits in four innings.

Warren is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against the Astros.

Houston rookie Ethan Pecko (0-0, 4.91) will make his second career start after allowing two runs on three hits in 3 2/3 innings during an 89-pitch outing against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.