Astros @ Rangers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Houston Astros (57-35)

@ Texas Rangers (50-42)

Starting Pitchers:

Miley (HOU): 7-4; 3.28 ERA

Minor (TEX) 8-4; 2.54 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Houston Astros: 7-3

Texas Rangers: 4-6

Current odds:

Houston Astros: (-133)

Texas Rangers: (+123)

• The Texas Rangers may not have entered the All-Star break quite like they wanted, but they couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the second half. The Rangers set their sights on a series win and a fifth consecutive home victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday when the American League West rivals meet for the third of four games. Texas lost each of its final three series to conclude the first half of the season, going 2-6 after reeling off a season-high six-game winning streak from June 22-28. One day after they ushered in the second half with a 5-0 victory behind a strong pitching performance from major-league wins leader Lance Lynn, the Rangers hit five home runs and rallied from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning to edge Houston in Friday’s 9-8 slugfest.

• Texas (50-42) closed within 1 1/2 games of Cleveland for the second AL wild card and moved within seven games of division-leading Houston (57-35), which lost for the sixth time in eight contests at Globe Life Park this season. Rookie Yordan Alvarez finished 3-for-3 with a walk and hit two of the Astros’ four homers in the setback, improving to 12-for-23 with nine RBIs and four multi-hit efforts during his six-game hitting streak.

• Miley earned the victory for the first time in four starts after he tamed Coors Field on July 3, holding Colorado to one run on five hits while striking out six over as many innings. That performance came on the heels of another solid showing five days earlier when the 32-year-old limited Seattle to one run in six frames. Elvis Andrus (6-for-26, four doubles) and Rougned Odor (4-for-19) are among several Rangers who have struggled against Miley, who beat Texas with six frames of two-run ball on May 9.

• Minor was unable to win a fourth straight start but extended his unbeaten streak to six games despite giving up three runs on two hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision versus the Los Angeles Angels on July 2. Despite that hiccup, the first-time All-Star is 6-2 with a 2.27 ERA across his last 13 turns. Yuli Gurriel (7-for-18, two homers) and George Springer (9-for-20, home run) have fared well against Minor, who blanked Houston over seven innings to get the win at home on April 3.

• Springer is batting .449 with six homers, 11 RBIs and 13 runs scored against the Rangers in 2019 – each mark easily his best against any opponent this season.

• Texas DH Hunter Pence (groin) could be activated as early as Saturday after playing a rehab game at Double-A Frisco for the second straight night Friday.

• Houston 3B Alex Bregman did not play Friday, one day after he took a bad-hop grounder to the chin that needed four stitches.