Astros @ Rangers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Houston Astros (12-6)

@ Texas Rangers (10-7)

Starting Pitchers:

Verlander (HOU): 2-0; 3.52 ERA

Smyly (TEX) 0-1; 7.15 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Houston Astros: 9-1

Texas Rangers: 5-5

Current odds:

Houston Astros: (-230)

Texas Rangers: (+190)

• The Houston Astros had a 10-game winning streak come to an end in a 2-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday but are back on top in the American League West. The Astros will be looking for some revenge against the last team to beat them in a series when they visit the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game set Friday. Houston got another solid pitching performance Wednesday but could not quite match it on offense and fell to the Athletics 2-1. “Any time you win 10 in a row, it’s something special,” Astros outfielder Josh Reddick told the team’s website. “It’s a lot of fun, because you come in here every day and you know you’re going to win. You just have all the confidence in the world. We knew it was going to end at some point. We’ll hit the reset button tomorrow, come back out (Friday) and hopefully get some revenge on those Rangers.”

• Texas, which took two of three from Houston at home April 1-3, comes in hot with wins in four straight after sweeping a three-game series from the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers pounded out a total of 30 runs in those last four games and will try to stay hot against Astros ace Justin Verlander, who opposes lefty Drew Smyly on Friday.

• Verlander showed off his best stuff at Seattle on Saturday, striking out 11 over six innings while allowing one run and two hits to earn the win. The former MVP did not walk a batter in that outing after issuing six free passes in 17 innings over his first three turns. Verlander’s worst start of the young season came at Texas on April 2, when he was reached for four runs and six hits in four innings without factoring in the decision.

• Smyly was ripped for four runs in 3 1/3 innings at the Los Angeles Angels on April 6 and was just a touch better against Oakland last Friday, when he was reached for four runs in five frames. The 29-year-old surrendered a total of 14 hits and seven walks in 11 1/3 innings over his first three outings. Smyly made his season debut against Houston on April 1 and yielded one run on four hits and a pair of walks in three innings without factoring in the decision.

• Astros 2B Jose Altuve went 0-for-4 on Wednesday, snapping an eight-game hitting streak.

• Rangers LF Shin-Soo Choo scored at least one run in each of his last five games.

• Texas RF Nomar Mazara is 4-for-22 over his last six contests.