(Photo credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

Despite being on the wrong end of a 12-3 thumping on Sunday afternoon in Chicago, Houston Astros manager Joe Espada was upbeat before his team boarded a plane for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels that begins Monday night in Anaheim, Calif.

After all, it was good week for the Astros, who won five in row before Sunday's loss to the American League Central-leading White Sox to get back into the AL West and wild-card playoff hunt.

'It's been really good,' Espada said. 'Swept the Marlins. Come here and win a series (against the) first-place team in the Central. We have some momentum. Just because we lost this game doesn't mean we're going to stop. We go to LA, three-game series, have an off day, and then a big one against the Rangers.'

Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena, who homered twice Sunday, has played a big role in the turnaround, batting .500 (13-for-26) with five homers, eight RBIs and 10 runs scored in the last six games.

'He's locked in,' Espada said. 'Really pleased he's swinging the bat the way he is right now.'

Houston, which had lost four in a row before its win streak, enters Monday's contest just two games behind first-place Texas in the West, and two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL wild-card spot.

Next up is a three-game series with the Angels before heading home for the three-game showdown with the Rangers in their final matchup of the season.

Tatsuya Imai (6-4, 5.59 ERA) will start the series opener for Houston and will be opposed by fellow rookie right-hander Walbert Urena (6-7, 2.78).

The Astros have won six of Imai's last seven starts, including a 5-3 victory over Miami on Tuesday when he allowed one run on four hits over six innings while striking out eight.

It will mark the second time Imai has faced the Angels. He struggled in his major league debut on March 29 against the Halos in Houston, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks in just 2 2/3 innings in a contest the Astros went on to win 9-7.

Urena is 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA in three career appearances (one start) against Houston. He has allowed just two earned runs over 15 2/3 innings in his last three starts with 14 strikeouts. He helped pitch the Angels to a 5-1 victory over St. Louis in his last start on Tuesday, allowing one run on six hits in six innings with five strikeouts.

Los Angeles is 4-3 in its last seven games and comes in off a 4-3 victory at San Francisco on Sunday. Mike Trout had his first four-hit game since 2021 and Jorge Soler and Jo Adell each homered for the Angels. Jose Soriano picked up his ninth win, allowing one unearned run on three hits over five innings.

Los Angeles, 22 games under .500, figures to be busy before the Aug. 3 trade deadline with Soler, shortstop Zach Neto and starters Reid Detmers and Soriano among the players drawing strong interest.

Soler, the American League home run leader in 2019 with Kansas City and the World Series MVP in 2021 with Atlanta, hit his 12th homer of the season and first since June 24 to help the Angels snap a three-game losing streak.

'I've been traded a lot of times, so I'm not worried about that,' Soler told the Orange County Register after the game.

--Field Level Media