Rangers @ Astros

Who will WIN this matchup?

Texas Rangers (50-48)

@ Houston Astros (63-37)

Starting Pitchers:

Lynn (TEX): 12-5; 3.87 ERA

Armenteros (HOU) 0-0; 2.00 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Texas Rangers: 3-7

Houston Astros: 6-4

Current odds:

Texas Rangers: (+128)

Houston Astros: (-138)

• The Houston Astros look to continue pushing their in-state rival farther down the division standings when they go for a three-game sweep of the visiting Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon. Yuli Gurriel belted a three-run homer to extend his hitting streak to nine games and Michael Brantley had three hits along with an RBI as Houston defeated the Rangers 6-1 on Saturday for its fourth consecutive victory. Gurriel is 15-for-38 with four homers and 10 RBIs during his streak and Jose Altuve, who was rested Saturday, boasts multiple hits in five of his last seven contests as the Astros hold a 5 1/2-game lead on second-place Oakland in the American League West. Houston, which is 10-6 in the season series, will send rookie Rogelio Armenteros to the mound in the finale, while Texas counters with All-Star Lance Lynn as he goes for a major-league leading 13th victory.

• The Rangers are 12 games back in the AL West after extending their losing streak to a season-high six contests in Saturday’s loss and have allowed 57 runs during the slump to fall 6 1/2 games out in the race for the AL’s second wild card. Danny Santana saw his streak of five straight games with multiple hits come to an end in Saturday’s setback as Texas managed just two hits, including Shin-Soo Choo’s solo homer.

• Lynn saw his six-game winning streak come to an end Tuesday when he allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk over six innings of a 9-2 loss to Arizona. The 32-year-old Ole Miss product had gone eight contests without a defeat, posting a 2.48 ERA during that stretch with 64 strikeouts across 54 1/3 total innings. Jake Marisnick is 3-for-5 with a solo homer versus Lynn, who is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts against the Astros this year.

• Armenteros gets his first major-league start after giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits over nine innings in three relief appearances with the Astros. The 25-year-old Cuban gave up one unearned tally Tuesday over four innings at the Los Angeles Angels in his last outing. Armenteros, who pitched three scoreless innings in his only home appearance with Houston, had a 5.05 ERA in 14 games with Triple-A Round Rock before being recalled.

• The Rangers have struck out 42 times in the last three games and have 10 or more strikeouts in 12 of their last 15 contests.

• Houston’s rookie LF Yordan Alvarez has 10 homers and 32 RBIs in his first 28 major league contests.

• Texas activated C Isiah Kiner-Falefa (finger) was activated from the injured list and sent him to Double-A Frisco.