Texas @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2016 ) Houston 7, Texas 6

With the American League West title all but out of reach, the Houston Astros remain in the thick of the wild-card race as they begin a three-game series at home against the division-leading Texas Rangers on Monday. Houston suffered its fourth loss in five contests Sunday, dropping a 9-5 interleague decision to the major league-best Chicago Cubs after allowing the game's first nine runs, to remain 9 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the AL West but only 3 1/2 in back of the second wild-card spot.

Jose Altuve is hoping his 2-for-4 performance in the loss is the start of a hot streak as he recorded just one hit over 11 at-bats in a three-game set at Texas from Sept. 2-4. The Rangers, whose magic number to clinch the division is 10, also sit 9 1/2 games ahead of Seattle in the West after dropping a 3-2 decision to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday to fall to 3-4 on their 10-game road trip. Adrian Beltre provided most the offense for Texas, belting a pair of solo home runs while finishing with three of the team's five hits. The veteran slugger went 7-for-13 with three blasts and four RBIs in the three-game series versus the Angels and is one shot away from reaching the 30-homer plateau for the fifth time in his career.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (10-10, 4.25 ERA) vs. Astros RH Doug Fister (12-11, 4.14)

Perez is coming off back-to-back victories over Seattle in which he allowed four runs — two earned — over 12 innings. The latest triumph on Tuesday ended the 25-year-old Venezuelan's seven-start winless streak on the road and improved him to 2-8 with a 6.00 ERA in 14 turns away from home. Perez fell to 5-3 with a 2.45 ERA in eight career starts against the Astros after surrendering five runs on eight hits and three walks in seven frames at Houston on Aug. 5.

Fister looks to halt a three-start losing streak during which he has yielded 18 runs — 15 earned — and 26 hits over 12 1/3 innings while registering only three strikeouts. The 32-year-old Californian has worked more than 4 1/3 frames just once in his last five overall turns and is 0-5 in his last seven outings at home. Fister dropped to 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA in 14 career starts versus the Rangers on Sept. 2, when he was tagged for eight runs — seven earned — and 10 hits in only 3 2/3 innings at Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rangers own a 13-3 record against the Astros this season, including a 5-1 mark in Houston.

2. Astros SS Carlos Correa returned to the lineup Sunday after missing four contests with left shoulder inflammation and went 1-for-1 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games before being removed because of Houston's early 9-0 deficit.

3. Texas RHP Tony Barnette remains day-to-day with a strained left oblique.

PREDICTION: Rangers 6, Astros 3