Astros at Rangers
The Texas Rangers have alternated strong performances and poor efforts through the first six games of their season. That doesn't bode particularly well for Sunday's finale of a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros.
The Rangers have outscored their opponents 19-4 during their three victories but have been outscored 23-1 in their three defeats. They are coming off a 6-2 triumph over the Astros on Saturday as Elvis Andrus drove in two runs and Yovani Gallardo picked up his first win since joining the team. Houston scored five runs in Friday's series opener but has managed a total of five runs in its other four games. Astros slugger Chris Carter is 1-for-19 with eight strikeouts.
TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Colby Lewis (1-0, 1.50)
Keuchel outdueled reigning Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber in a 2-0 win against the Cleveland Indians on Opening Day. He gave up three hits in seven innings that day and is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last six starts, dating back to 2014. The Rangers' current roster has 136 combined at-bats against Keuchel and only one home run - by Adrian Beltre.
Lewis gave up one run in six innings against Oakland in his season debut, a strong start following a season in which he posted a 5.18 ERA. Colby Rasmus (3-for-6 with a home run) and Jed Lowrie (6-for-17 with a homer) are two Rangers players with solid career stats versus Lewis. For his career, though, the 36-year-old is 5-1 with a 1.54 ERA in 10 games - seven starts - against the Astros.
WALK-OFFS
1. The teams are a combined 5-for-34 with runners in scoring position in this series.
2. Rangers RH Neftali Feliz has given up two runs, three hits - including a homer - and two walks in 1 2/3 innings in this series.
3. Astros 2B Jose Altuve, who led the majors in hits (225) and batting average (.341) last season, is coming off his first multi-hit game of the year.