Rangers at Astros
The injury-riddled Texas Rangers tied a major-league record Friday by using their 59th player, which goes a long way in explaining why they own the worst record in baseball. So it almost seems appropriate that the Rangers will need to make another roster move for Saturday's matchup at the Houston Astros after scheduled starter Miles Mikolas was a late scratch due to right shoulder fatigue. The Rangers scored 13 runs Friday to beat the Astros for only the second time in 10 meetings.
Youngsters Michael Choice and Rougned Odor cracked three-run homers in Friday's victory as Texas knotted the four-game series at one victory apiece. Houston is 9-5 against the Rangers this season and needs one more win to clinch the season series against them for the first time since 2006. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve extended his hitting streak to seven games with a pair of hits Friday, giving him a major league-leading .332 batting average and 184 hits.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, KTXA (Texas), CSN Houston
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Robbie Ross (2-5, 6.06 ERA) vs. Astros RH Scott Feldman (7-10, 4.34)
Ross will return to the rotation for the first time since making a spot start on Aug. 14, when he was lit up for six runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. He began the season with three solid starts, allowing a total of two earned runs, but he went 0-4 over his next turns and was demoted to the bullpen. Ross has made eight career appearances in relief against Houston, posting a 2-0 record and 2.08 ERA.
Despite another quality start, Feldman took the loss against Oakland last time out when he surrendered three runs and seven hits over seven innings. It was the fifth quality start in six outings for Feldman, including a win over the Rangers on Aug. 9, when he permitted three runs in 6 1/3 innings. Feldman, a former 17-game winner with Texas, makes his fourth start versus the Rangers this season - he's 2-1 in five career starts against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre has seven two-hit games in his last 10.
2. Astros C Jason Castro has homered in back-to-back contests after going 0-for-20 in his previous six games.
3. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus drove in a pair of runs Friday to halt a 16-game RBI drought.