GameThread #12: Astros (4-7) at Texas Rangers (5-5), Apr 12, 2014 7:05 PM CDT

Houston at Arlington, 7:05 PM CDT

TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV, FSSW
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
Rangers SBNation Blog: Lone Star Ball

Pitching matchup

Jarred Cosart (1-1, 4.09 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) vs. Tanner Scheppers (0-1, 9.00 ERA, 2.33 WHIP)

Lineups

Astros

Fowler CF
Presley RF
Castro DH
Altuve 2B
Carter 1B
Corporan C
Dominguez 3B
Grossman LF
Villar SS
Cosart P

Rangers

Choo LF
Andrus SS
Rios RF
Fielder 1B
Kouzmanoff 3B
Moreland DH
Murphy 2B
Martin CF
Arencibia C
Scheppers P

Quote from Series Preview

I should copy and paste this into each preview with Cosart, the Astros will win the game if he keeps his electric stuff under control. A perfect example of this is Cosart's last two starts - five scoreless innings with zero walks in a win against the Yankees on April 2. Four walks and five earned runs in a loss to the Angels on April 7. On August 20 2013, Cosart made his lone start against the Rangers - allowing three runs on four hits and three walks.

In this one start, Adrian Beltre did Beltre-like things, collecting a double and home run in three at-bats. Alex Rios was the only other Ranger to get a hit off Cosart. Elvis Andrus picked up one of the three walks in the game.

Tanner Scheppers was a key cog in the Rangers bullpen last season, injuries have pushed him to the rotation. So far he has struggled, allowing nine runs on 17 hits and four walks. The Phillies shelled him in his first start for seven runs in just four innings work. In second start, he weathered nine hits but allowed only two runs over five innings. Scheppers has been living dangerously, it's not summer yet but Rangers Ballpark Globe Life Park is still a launching pad. Something that might play into the homer-happy Astros' hands.