(Photo credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)

The New York Yankees and Houston both have struggled lately. The difference is the Astros still lead their division while the Yankees are fighting for their playoff lives.

Two teams trying to heat up again will open a three-game series Friday night when the Astros visit the Yankees.

The Yankees return home after losing five of six on the road to the Miami Marlins and Texas Rangers. New York has dropped 13 of 21 since winning five straight from July 6-11. The Yankees also are 26-34 since May 28 when they held a seven-game lead atop the American League East.

New York ended its third skid of at least five games by eking out a 3-2 win on Wednesday afternoon after dropping the first two contests of the series in the late innings. David Bednar notched the final five outs for his first save since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Paul Goldschmidt hit a tiebreaking pinch-hit homer in the seventh.

'It's one game,' manager Aaron Boone said. 'We gotta dig ourselves out here, but as I've said, it's there for us. I'm steadfast and I believe we have a great run in us. I believe in those guys in the room, but as we've been saying, we've got to go do it. This is just one win.'

The Yankees have 47 games left to erase a 6 1/2-game deficit to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees lost three games in the standings by blowing a six-run lead last Friday in Miami, losing a 10-inning game Monday in Texas and getting blanked twice.

Houston won 24 of 32 games from June 1-July 6 but the Astros are 9-16 since. Houston fell for the ninth time in 13 games when it took a 6-4 loss to the Marlins on Wednesday night.

The Astros finished with 12 hits on Wednesday, marking the 10th time since the All-Star break they reached double digits. Houston was 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position and went 12-for-32 (.375) in the series against Miami in that area after going 2-for-18 in last weekend's sweep by Boston.

Christian Walker homered Wednesday and has three in his past six games following a 10-game drought. Carlos Correa collected three hits Wednesday and is 9-for-26 (.346) since returning to the Astros from Minnesota.

Correa also is playing exclusively at third base and Mauricio Dubon started at shortstop when Jeremy Pena was given Wednesday off.

'He says he's just bouncing back that much better playing third base,' manager Joe Espada said of Correa. 'His body's just not getting as beat up as playing up the middle and having a lot more responsibility. So I'm going to keep him over there.'

Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.47 ERA) opens the series for Houston. The right-hander allowed one run or fewer for the 13th time this season when he allowed one run on four hits in seven innings in a no-decision last Friday in Boston.

Brown is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three career starts against the Yankees, who counter with rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.58).

Schlittler last pitched in Saturday's 2-0 loss at Miami when he allowed both runs on homers and allowed four hits in five innings. He has never faced Houston.

--Field Level Media