Game No. 27 Preview: Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers

Houston Astros (17-9) vs. Texas Rangers (11-15), May 2, 2017, 7:10 PM CT

Time: 7:10 p.m. CT
TV: ROOT SPORTS Southwest
Online: MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790, La Nueva 94.1 FM (En Español)
Rangers SBNation Blog: Lone Star Ball

Pitching Matchup

RHP Mike Fiers (0-1, 5.12 ERA, 1.60 WHIP) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (2-0, 3.03 ERA, 1.13 WHIP)

Preview

Tuesday game between the Astros and Rangers feels like a scheduled loss at this point. Mike Fiers has been struggling and Houston faces the Rangers’ ace Cole Hamels.

Fiers has allowed eight home runs in four starts in 2017. That includes five home runs over his last 9 ¹⁄₃ innings. He faces a Rangers' roster with four players that have a career home run against Fiers: Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Mike Napoli, and Roughned Odor.

Fiers is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Rangers. He struck out 14 and walked four in 17 1/3 innings. Fiers will have to improve on his last three outings in which he wasn’t able to last past five innings.

The Rangers come into Tuesday's game with a three-game losing streak in which Cole Hamels started. Frankly, that fact isn't Hamels' fault, he allowed seven earned run over 18 innings in those starts.

Hamels in 6-3 with 4.06 ERA in 14 career starts against the Astros. Hamels had plenty of success in 2016 against the Astros, he was 2-0 with 1.66 ERA in three starts.

Matchup to watch: Evan Gattis vs. Cole Hamels

Evan Gattis has owned Cole Hamels. He is batting .304 (7x23) with three solo home runs. Gattis gets the start tonight at catcher.