Rangers at Astros
The Houston Astros can complete their second three-game sweep of the visiting Texas Rangers on Sunday when the teams meet in the series finale. Houston, which lost at least 106 games in each of the past three seasons, has reversed a long trend of domination by Texas, winning seven straight games in the series after dropping 14 of the previous 15 matchups. The Astros have won five straight at home, their longest run since a six-game streak in 2012.
The Rangers arrived in Houston having won back-to-back games for the first time in more than a month but the two losses dropped them to 10-36 over their last 46 games. Outfielder Alex Rios missed the first two games after aggravating an ankle injury and recent acquisition Mike Carp was forced to leave Saturday's loss with a groin strain. Sunday's pitching matchup weighs heavily in the favor of the Astros, who send out ace Dallas Keuchel to face struggling rookie Nick Martinez.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), CSN Houston
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Martinez (1-8, 5.31 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (10-7, 2.89)
Martinez became the eighth pitcher in team history to go 10 straight starts in one season without a victory when he allowed five runs in five innings at the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Martinez has as many walks (38) as strikeouts and the Rangers have lost each of his last nine outings. The rookie, who made two relief appearances versus Houston in May, has been knocked around for at least four runs on seven occasions during his 10-start skid.
Keuchel has regained his All-Star form following a midseason wobble in which he permitted at least four runs in five consecutive starts. The former Arkansas product has yielded a combined two earned runs over his last three turns, including his fourth complete game of the season against Oakland on July 30. One of those complete games was a seven-hit shutout on May 13 against the Rangers, against whom he is 2-2 in seven career starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros 2B Jose Altuve (neck), who leads the majors in hits, expects to be back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday.
2. Rangers OF Shin-Soo Choo is 9-for-20 during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Astros RF Robbie Grossman has reach based in eight of nine plate appearances in the series.