The season opener couldn't have gone much worse for the Texas Rangers, but the second game of the campaign couldn't have gone much better. The visiting Rangers will try to claim the rubber match of their three-game against the Houston Astros when the teams tangle for a Wednesday matinee. The Rangers have not lost a series to their in-state rivals since dropping two of three from June 24-26, 2008. Texas is 20-7 against Houston since.
Houston stunned the Rangers with a strong offensive performance in an 8-2 victory in the opener, but Yu Darvish dazzled the Astros on Tuesday, retiring 26 straight before Marwin Gonzalez's singled up the middle with two outs in the ninth inning in Texas' 7-0 victory. That outcome was more in line with the preseason expectations for the two teams, as the Rangers figure to be contenders once again in the American League West, while the Astros are expected to finish in the cellar in their first year in the division.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Southwest (Texas), CSN Houston
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Alexi Ogando (2012: 2-0, 3.27 ERA) vs. Astros RH Philip Humber (2012: 5-5, 6.44 ERA)
Ogando returns to the rotation after working almost exclusively out of the bullpen last season. He was an All-Star as a starter in 2011, going 13-8 with a 3.51 ERA. The 29-year-old will be making his first start against Houston - he has allowed one run in three innings over two relief outings against the Astros.
A former Rice University star, Humber makes his return to Houston in his Astros debut. Humber is best known for throwing a perfect game against Seattle in his second start last season, but he struggled from that point on and wound up pitching out of the bullpen the last two months of the season. In four games (one start) against Texas, Humber is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers DH Lance Berkman has hit safely in his last 14 games at Minute Maid Park, including all 11 as an opponent.
2. Only four Houston players have faced Ogando, and only J.D. Martinez has a hit against him.
3. The Astros have struck out 28 times through two games. They fanned 13 times in the opener and 15 times Tuesday.