Rangers at Astros
Joey Gallo has overcome his issues with Houston's pitching staff this season and looks to be productive again when the Texas Rangers open a four-series against the host Astros on Thursday. Gallo is 7-for-17 with two homers and nine RBIs in six contests versus Houston, which won four of the meetings.
Gallo, who is batting .200 with 11 homers, 29 RBIs and 70 strikeouts in 145 at-bats against the Astros, became the quickest in American League history to reach 100 career blasts (377 games) when he went deep in Wednesday's 9-6 victory in Pittsburgh. "Three years ago, if you had told me that I'd hit 100 home runs and I'd have this record, I would tell you, 'You're crazy,'" Gallo, who has more homers than singles (93), told reporters. "I'm proud of myself for getting to this point. It's pretty special." Michael Brantley homered twice while George Springer and Carlos Correa also went deep as the Astros routed Kansas City 9-0 on Wednesday. Houston has belted 16 homers and scored 41 runs while winning four of its last five games.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Mike Minor (3-2, 2.40 ERA) vs. Astros LH Wade Miley (2-2, 3.20)
Minor hasn't allowed an earned run three times this season, and one of those occurred when he blanked the Astros on five hits over seven innings in a 4-0 victory on April 3. The 31-year-old yielded seven hits and recorded nine strikeouts in eight frames of a no-decision against Toronto in his last turn. Minor is 3-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 12 career appearances (nine starts) against Houston and has served up two homers to Yuli Gurriel (6-for-15).
Miley defeated the Los Angeles Angels in his last turn, when he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings. The 32-year-old is two strikeouts away from reaching 1,000 for his career, which began in 2011 with Arizona. Miley is 2-5 with a 5.86 ERA in nine career starts against the Rangers and has enjoyed success versus Hunter Pence (5-for-27, one homer).
WALK-OFFS
1. Pence hit a pinch-hit grand slam on Wednesday and has notched four RBIs in back-to-back games and 15 in his last eight appearances.
2. Springer hit a leadoff homer for the second time in three games, increasing his career total to 28.
3. Texas SS Elvis Andrus went 3-for-5 on Wednesday for his fifth three-hit performance of the season.