Series Thread: Hot 'Stros to cool their heels in Arlington 6/6 to 6/9

[darrylgann]

Saw that game today. Didn't expect a sweep. Amazing Rangers. Keep our mastery of Houston going.

 

[DT LUNA]

1. LEWIS 2.HAMELS 3. DARVISH 4. PEREZ
I like our chances for cooling them off

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

should be an exciting series

 

[RevSader]

Texas is playing their best baseball. Keep it going please. Going 7-2 vs the Pirates, Indians, and Mariners was very impressive.

 

[RevSader]

Just saw that the Dodgers DFA Crawford who is owed about 34 MM this year and next.

 

[Bmurph]

HOUSTON AT TEXAS
Time: 08:05 P.M. ESTVenue: Globe Life Park in Arlington

The Texas Rangers went to Houston two weeks ago and swept a three-game series from the Astros, beginning their current hot stretch and keeping them unbeaten in Lone Star State showdowns this season.

Houston has since played its best baseball of the year as they try to catch a Rangers team with the AL's best record, and figuring out how to beat them during this series that begins Monday night in Arlington is its next task.

"We're not going to accomplish our goals unless we can beat the Texas Rangers," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow told MLB's official website. "We can't beat them. I don't know what the problem is.

"I know we have the talent to beat them. We just either psych ourselves out or something happens. Hopefully we'll have more success against them for the rest of the season."

The Rangers (34-22) have outscored the Astros 29-14 in six meetings this year and have beaten them 10 straight times at Globe Life Park, including a sweep from April 19-21.

"They've controlled our series," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "They've played very well against us. We've played close games against them, we just haven't been able to find a way. We got to play better to beat them."

Houston (28-30) has lately, going 11-2 since Texas swept them May 20-22. It took all three games from Oakland over the weekend as Evan Gattishomered in each one, including Sunday's 5-2 victory.

The Astros are seven games back of the Rangers, who have won 12 of 15 and took a three-game lead in the AL West over Seattle after sweeping the Mariners over the weekend.

''This team has a lot of personality about it and we have a lot of confidence now,'' Hinch said. ''We're swinging the bats a little better, our pitching is lining up better and so you don't feel that nervous energy when you fall behind anymore. That's what a good month and a half will do for you.''

Houston has won four in a row on the road, but the Rangers have won a franchise record-tying nine consecutive home series. It's unclear how much Texas will use Prince Fielder as it goes for a 10th.

Fielder was benched for the second straight day in Sunday's 3-2 victory. He's hitting .187 - the second-lowest average among qualifiers in the AL - and said he's never gone through this bad of a slump at any point in his career.

Jurickson Profar took Fielder's place at DH on Sunday and is batting .390 while hitting safely in all nine games since being recalled from Triple-A.

"I'm trying to get hits. I'm trying to drive in runs. I'm trying not to get benched for two days, you know?" Fielder said. "I'm just trying to play baseball. I'm not trying to hit homers. I'm just trying to not have this happen again."

Fielder is 2 for 6 against Mike Fiers, who gets the ball for the Astros. Fiers (3-3, 4.84 ERA) gave up two runs in seven innings of a 2-1 loss to the Rangers on May 21 and has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts.

The right-hander gave up one run in six innings of Houston's 5-4, 11-inning win over Arizona on Wednesday, bouncing back from allowing seven runs in his previous outing.

Colby Lewis (5-0, 3.09) takes the mound for the Rangers looking to win a fourth straight start. His personal winning streak began when he tossed seven shutout innings to beat the Astros 2-1 on May 20.

The right-hander, who gave up two hits in six scoreless innings of Tuesday's 7-3 win over Cleveland, is 9-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his last 11 against the Astros. Carlos Correa is 5 for 12 with two homes off Lewis, though.


Looks like we are in their GM's head for sure!

Good luck with that Prince

 

[jta4437]

I'm interested in what the lineup card is tomorrow

 

[romeo212000]

I'm interested in what the lineup card is tomorrow

Bet it includes fielder.

 

[romeo212000]

Prince sounds desperate.

 

[darrylgann]

Prince sounds desperate.

He has to come to grips if it's medical. Don't prolong it.

 

[Bmurph]

Prince sounds desperate.

Im just not sure he's physically as capable as he once was, very difficult to adjust when age, injury and his body type are all things that COULD be factors in his demise. Getting older sucks, I know first hand now. The young guys always stay about the same age and I just keep getting older, dammit!

 

[Nightcrawler]

What's the deal? It seems like every team goes on a run after we kick their ass. After the series up in Seattle, the Mariners have been tearing things up since we left ( big exception: this series and twinkies series) . The Astros have played amazing since we swept them and the Indians just rolled Kansas City after we beat them. I guess we have been giving teams a wake up call.

 

[DT LUNA]

What's the deal? It seems like every team goes on a run after we kick their ass. After the series up in Seattle, the Mariners have been tearing things up since we left ( big exception: this series and twinkies series) . The Astros have played amazing since we swept them and the Indians just rolled Kansas City after we beat them. I guess we have been giving teams a wake up call.

Maybe were just better

 

[WastinSomeTime]

What's the deal? It seems like every team goes on a run after we kick their ass. After the series up in Seattle, the Mariners have been tearing things up since we left ( big exception: this series and twinkies series) . The Astros have played amazing since we swept them and the Indians just rolled Kansas City after we beat them. I guess we have been giving teams a wake up call.

And teams have come in on a roll especially offensively and we have been able to keep them at bay.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Texas is playing their best baseball. Keep it going please. Going 7-2 vs the Pirates, Indians, and Mariners was very impressive.

Really is. The Indians are now in 1st and Seattle was tied for 1st so we definitely have been playing some good ball against some good teams.

 

[donaldson79]

Really is. The Indians are now in 1st and Seattle was tied for 1st so we definitely have been playing some good ball against some good teams.

And if we can win this first one from the Stros and keep that "we're in your head and you know" attitude going, it'll serve us well throughout the series.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

And if we can win this first one from the Stros and keep that "we're in your head and you know" attitude going, it'll serve us well throughout the series.

Very true. Fiers pitched well against us last time out but was not enough of course for the Astros to win. I hope we keep putting the metal to the pedal on this division.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Very true. Fiers pitched well against us last time out but was not enough of course for the Astros to win. I hope we keep putting the metal to the pedal on this division.

Pedal to the metal against everyone but....... The A's. I don't know why we struggle so much. They are not good.

 

[DT LUNA]

Pedal to the metal against everyone but....... The A's. I don't know why we struggle so much. They are not good.

Why don't you help me take care or the Asstros and Murph will handle the A's.

 

[Bmurph]

• Rangers GM Jon Daniels talks to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News about the 2006 draft, which was Daniels’ first in charge of the Texas front office. While the Rangers found some good talent in that draft class, their first-round pick was rather a notable miss. Daniels said his team was eyeing Tim Lincecum with the 12th overall selection but the Rangers were surprised when the Giants drafted Lincecum tenth overall. Texas instead took high school lefty Kasey Kiker, who never made it higher than Double-A and has been out of pro ball since 2012.