Rangers at Astros
Josh Reddick saved the series opener and the Houston Astros look to build on the momentum Friday, when they host the Texas Rangers in for the second contest of their four-game series. Reddick leaped above the right-field fence to snare Hunter Pence's bid for a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning as the Astros prevailed 4-2 on Thursday.
Reddick also contributed an RBI single in the opener to help Houston win for the fifth time in six games. Astros ace Justin Verlander looks to win for the fifth time in six starts as he allowed just four runs and 11 hits over 27 innings in the first four outings of the stretch. Pence may have been robbed in the ninth, but he slugged a two-run homer earlier in the game and has registered four blasts and 17 RBIs over his last nine games. Rougned Odor was hitless in three at-bats on Thursday and is 5-for-45 with 20 strikeouts in 11 games since returning from a knee injury.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Lance Lynn (4-2, 5.75 ERA) vs. Astros RH Justin Verlander (5-1, 2.86)
Lynn has won four of his last five starts despite a high ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Lynn, who turns 32 on Sunday, defeated Toronto in his last turn, even though he allowed five runs and eight hits over six innings. Lynn is 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against the Astros.
Verlander is 14-8 with a 2.90 ERA in 27 career starts against the Rangers and last beat them on April 19, when he allowed one run and three hits over seven innings. The 36-year-old did not factor in the decision versus Texas on April 2, when he gave up four runs and six hits over four frames, and has shut down Joey Gallo (3-for-24) and Odor (4-for-28, one homer). Verlander served up three homers in his last outing but still got the win over the Los Angeles Angels while allowing four runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros SS Carlos Correa is 1-for-10 over his last three games after putting together a career-high 16-game hitting streak.
2. Texas activated 1B Ronald Guzman (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list (he was 0-for-2 Monday), placed Shawn Kelley (infection) on the IL and recalled fellow RHP Wei-Chieh Huang from Triple-A Nashville.
3. Houston OF George Springer homered in the series opener and has gone deep five times in his last nine games.