Astros at Rangers
The Houston Astros dropped their home finale but still have something to play for entering a regular season-ending seven-game road trip at the Texas Rangers on Monday. A 7-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night capped a 7-2 homestand for the Astros, who fell 2 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the race for the best record in the American League.
Evan Gattis had a pair of RBIs in the loss and doubled once to give Houston a franchise record with 327 two-baggers. Jose Altuve added a pair of hits for the Astros and is two shy of reaching 200 for the fourth straight year. The Rangers are barely alive in the wild-card chase after dropping three straight to Oakland over the weekend, capped by Sunday's 8-1 defeat. Texas enters the series 5 1/2 games out of a playoff spot with seven to play and has gone through the last contests without manager Jeff Banister, who is with his ailing mother.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Collin McHugh (3-2, 3.44 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Andrew Cashner (10-10, 3.44)
McHugh is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA over his last five starts, including a no-decision against Texas on Aug. 31 in which he was charged with one unearned run in 4 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old has allowed a home run in just one of his last six outings. He has a 7.64 ERA in four career starts at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
Cashner became a 10-game winner for the first time in four years his last time out, limiting Seattle to three runs in six innings. He was dominant in eight frames at Houston on Aug. 30 but gave up nine runs in 10 innings over two meetings in June. The TCU product has been knocked around by Altuve (8-for-18, one home run), Brian McCann (7-for-19) and Carlos Beltran (6-for-15, one home run).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers scored two runs on 15 hits in losing all three at Oakland.
2. Astros 3B Alex Bregman homered Sunday to snap a 27-game stretch without a long ball.
3. Texas bench coach Steve Buechele has taken over managerial duties with Banister away from the team.