Tonight at 8:05 p.m. ET the Houston Astros (4-6), expected to be MLB's doormat, will head to the Ballpark in Arlington for a three-game set with their in-state rivals, the Texas Rangers (4-6) who stand a loss behind Houston in the loss column. Live stream the game here; Houston fans can find the radio broadcast on KBME 790, while Rangers fans can tune in on 103.3 ESPN. Houston will throw out their ace Scott Feldman (2-0, 0.66 ERA), against one of MLB's top starters Yu Darvish (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
Even with Darvish on the hill, tonight may not be so easy for Texas without third baseman Adrian Beltre. Their big bopper is dealing with a strained quadriceps that may land him on the disabled list, although the team's hoping a few days of rest can get him right.
"We're going to kind of play it conservatively. We're going to give him a few days," Texas general manager Jon Daniels said.
With Beltre out, Darvish will need to replicate his first start of the year, which impressed manager Ron Washington. "He was in control of the game," Washington said. "He was using his pitches. He was throwing strikes. And that's what he does." In his young MLB career Darvish has tormented the poor Astros.
In six starts vs. Houston, Darvish is 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.837 WHIP, and 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He has set down 63 Astros via the strikeout in just 43 innings. Despite that history and Houston's current reputation, Washington took notice of them when they beat the Yankees two-out-of-three in their opening series.
"They're a better team," Washington told the Rangers' official website. "The mistakes they might have made (while losing 111 games) last year, they won't make as many this season. They are not going to be anybody's doormat. You've got to bring your best game."
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