Rangers at Astros
The Houston Astros cannot get home soon enough, as they've been thoroughly thrashed by the Texas Rangers in the first two contests of their three-game series that was moved from Minute Maid Park to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. due to Hurricane Harvey. Houston looks to salvage the finale of the set on Thursday afternoon after being outscored 20-3 in the losses.
The American League West-leading Astros, who will return to Houston for a weekend series against the New York Mets that begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, managed only four hits in Wednesday's 8-1 setback - with Brian McCann recording half of them. Texas improved to 5-4 on its 10-game road trip - and remained three games behind Minnesota for the second wild card in the AL - by using a 14-hit attack that featured a 3-for-5 effort from Elvis Andrus. The veteran shortstop has been tearing the cover off the ball lately, going 13-for-23 with four multi-hit performances during his five-game hitting streak. Joey Gallo has returned from a concussion to notch two RBIs in back-to-back contests while Robinson Chirinos enters Thursday hitting .395 during his 13-game hitting streak.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Martinez (3-5, 5.26 ERA) vs. Astros RH Collin McHugh (2-2, 3.63)
Martinez returned from the minors on Friday and suffered the loss at Oakland after giving up three runs and four hits - two homers - in seven innings. The outing was an improvement from the 27-year-old Floridian's previous three turns, during which he surrendered 16 runs and 19 hits over 14 1/3 frames. Martinez is 3-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 10 career appearances (six starts) against Houston, including an 0-1 record and 4.91 ERA in two starts and one relief outing this season.
McHugh's rough outing in Chicago against the White Sox on Aug. 9 in which he yielded seven runs over 5 1/3 innings has become a distant memory as he has allowed three runs in 17 2/3 frames over his last three starts. The 30-year-old native of Illinois followed a victory against Oakland on Aug. 19 in which he tossed six scoreless innings with a road win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday that saw him give up one run in six frames. McHugh owns a 4-1 record in seven career starts versus Texas despite posting a 5.30 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. McCann is riding a five-game hitting streak during which he has gone 7-for-17 with five RBIs.
2. Texas 1B Mike Napoli is hitting just .195 but is two blasts away from reaching the 30-homer plateau for the second straight season and third of his career.
3. Houston 1B Yuli Gurriel is day-to-day after exiting Wednesday's game with a sore right knee.