Rangers at Astros
The Texas Rangers recovered from their lost weekend in Oakland and took out their frustrations on the displaced Houston Astros. Texas looks to make it two straight on Wednesday when it plays the middle contest of a three-game series against the Astros that was moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. due to the effects of Hurricane Harvey in Houston.
The Rangers were outscored 19-7 in a three-game sweep at the hands of Oakland but bounced back with a 12-2 triumph on Tuesday, scoring 11 runs in a span of three innings as they remained three games behind Minnesota for the second wild card in the American League. Joey Gallo returned from the concussion list to belt a two-run homer, Shin-Soo Choo recorded three hits - including a three-run blast - and four RBIs and Elvis Andrus went 4-for-5 as Texas improved to 4-4 on its 10-game road trip. Houston still possesses a comfortable double-digit lead in the AL West despite having lost five of its last eight contests. Jose Altuve leads the majors with a .355 batting average after going 1-for-4 on Tuesday while rookie J.D. Davis had a night he won't soon forget, recording his first career two-hit performance while pitching a perfect inning in a mop-up role.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Southwest (Texas), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Andrew Cashner (7-9, 3.44 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (11-2, 2.58)
Cashner's winless streak reached three starts last Wednesday as he did not factor in the decision on the road against the Los Angeles Angels after giving up four runs in six innings. The 30-year-old Texan had won three straight outings and four of five prior to the drought and had allowed fewer than three earned runs in four consecutive turns before facing the Angels. Cashner has had no success against Houston this season, losing all four of his previous starts - including an outing on Aug. 13 in which he yielded two runs over seven frames.
Keuchel has bounced back nicely from a road loss to the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 8 in which he was battered for eight runs on 10 hits and three walks over four innings, going 2-0 while allowing three earned runs over 20 2/3 frames in three outings. One of those turns was against Cashner and the Rangers on Aug. 13, when the 29-year-old native of Oklahoma gave up one run and six hits in 6 2/3 frames of a victory. Keuchel also scattered three hits over six scoreless innings of a win at Texas on June 2 and has thrown two of his four career shutouts against the Rangers but is just 7-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 20 career starts versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros 3B Alex Bregman had his eight-game hitting streak and string of four straight multi-hit performances snapped Sunday but picked up where he left off on Tuesday, recording three of his team's nine hits.
2. The Rangers optioned OF Ryan Rua to Triple-A Round Rock to make room on the roster for Gallo and also sent RHP Tanner Scheppers outright to the Express.
3. Texas C Robinson Chirinos is riding a 12-game hitting streak after going 1-for-2 with two walks on Tuesday.