WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — The Houston Astros will visit the Athletics on Friday at Sutter Health Park, with Houston trying to stay at .500 and the Athletics looking to close a difficult season with a home win. Houston enters at 80-80. The Athletics are 63-96. The forecast at game time calls for 84 degrees.

Houston’s probable pitcher is Hunter Brown, who owns a 6-3 record. Jacob Lopez, who has a 6-5 record, also is listed as a probable pitcher for Houston. The Astros will send a lineup that has received a major recent boost from Lucas Spence. In the most recent meeting, Spence went 3 for 4 with three home runs and five RBIs. He was held to an 0-for-3 game against Seattle in Houston’s previous contest. Spence’s power has made him a central figure for the Astros as they finish the regular season.

The Athletics will look to Zack Gelof for offense. Gelof went 2 for 3 with two home runs and two RBIs in the most recent game against Houston. He also had two hits against the Los Angeles Angels and has posted several multi-hit games over his recent stretch, including a three-RBI game at Cleveland and a home run against Seattle. Gelof’s ability to hit for power and average will be a key part of the Athletics’ approach against Houston.

Houston won the most recent matchup 7-5. The teams have split much of their recent head-to-head play, and the Athletics have won several games in the series earlier this season. Houston’s most recent result was that 7-5 victory, which included strong relief work from Miguel Ullola and Bryan Abreu. The Athletics’ most recent result was the same 7-5 loss, with Jeff McNeil and Gelof providing most of the offense. Mason Barnett pitched six innings and struck out eight in that game.

The Athletics had won two straight against the Los Angeles Angels before that loss, while Houston had dropped a 6-5 decision to Seattle before beating the Mariners 7-0 earlier in the series. The Astros and Athletics have played close games often in the recent series, and the final meeting before this one followed that pattern.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Houston 5, Athletics 4. Interstat’s ELO system gives Houston a 58.1 percent probability to win. Houston has been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5, and the over-under for the game is 8.5.