Rangers at Astros
The Texas Rangers try to continue their mastery over Houston when they visit the Astros on Monday to begin a three-game series. Texas has won 19 of the last 21 meetings - including a pair of 1-0 victories in a three-game set last month in Arlington and nine straight in Houston (30-16 all-time there and 19-3 since start of 2009) - as well as 15 straight series against the Astros. The Rangers also are 19-3 versus Houston since the Astros moved to the American League West to begin the 2013 season.
A trip to Houston could be just what Texas needs after it concluded a 2-3 homestand with a 5-2 loss to Boston on Sunday - its 10th loss in the last 14 games. The Astros avoided a three-game sweep in Baltimore with a 5-2 victory Sunday to complete a 2-5 road trip and win for only the third time in their last 12 contests. Texas' Colby Lewis, who is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in five games (three starts) in Houston, opposes Brad Peacock, who is 0-2 in four starts since rejoining the rotation.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), CSN (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Colby Lewis (2-2, 6.12 ERA) vs. Astros RH Brad Peacock (0-3, 5.01)
Lewis had a simple explanation for what went wrong after allowing seven runs and 12 hits in 3 2/3 innings of Texas' 9-2 loss to Colorado on Wednesday. "They're swinging the bats really well right now. I got beat. That's all there is to it," the 34-year-old Bakersfield, Calif., native told reporters. "I didn't go out there and walk a bunch of guys. I made pitches in the zone, and they put it where we weren't." Lewis is 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA in nine appearances (six starts) against Houston.
Peacock pitched well enough to win when he yielded three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings of Houston's 3-2 loss at Detroit on May 7 for his second straight quality start. The 26-year-old Palm Beach, Fla., native is 7-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 20 career starts while yielding 93 hits in 109 frames. Peacock is 0-2 with a 3.07 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Rangers and took the loss in relief on April 11 in a 1-0 setback at Texas on Robinson Chirinos' RBI single in the 12th inning.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus is 12-for-29 during his eight-game hitting streak and was 7-for-12 in the three-game series against the Red Sox.
2. Jason Castro hit a three-run blast and Marc Krauss added a two-run shot Sunday as Houston improved to 11-11 when it hits a home run and 1-15 when it doesn't.
3. Texas OF Shin-Soo Choo has an on-base percentage of .465, second only to Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki (.497).