The set-up: The Rangers backed up their 6-1 Monday victory in Houston with a 4-2 win on Tuesday. That gives the Rangers a five-game winning streak overall, a stretch in which the team's staring pitchers having allowed only seven runs on 22 hits over 32 innings. The 44-22 Astros still own MLB's best record but the Astros have now followed an 11-game winning streak with losses in six of their last eight. Texas has climbed back to .500 (32-32) and will look to complete a three-game sweep tonight but the reality is that the Rangers remain 11 games back of the Astros (steep climb).

The pitching matchup: Andrew Cashner (3-5 & 3.17 ERA) takes the mound for Texas and Francis Martes (0-0 & 9.82 ERA) for Houston. Cashner allowed just one in seven innings on June 9 to shut down Washington 5-1. However, he has dropped both decisions versus Houston this season (June 3 and May 1), allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 14 hits for a 5.25 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP in 12 innings. The leaves him 0-3 with a 3.91 ERA in four career starts against Houston (teams are 1-3). Houston's rotation has been besieged by injuries and Martes will make his first career start on Wednesday. He was far from sharp while allowing four ERs in just 3 2/3 innings of relief against the Los Angeles Angels last Friday. "With a young pitcher like Martes, it's a battle within himself," manager A.J. Hinch said. "Just repeating his delivery and using his pitches and getting his first outing out of the way was nice. ... It was a low-pressure game and he could see that his stuff in the strike zone plays pretty well. But he's got some work to do mechanically to be consistent."

The pick: I'm no fan of Cashner and Martes is Houston's top pitching prospect. Even with back-to-back wins, Texas is a modest 14-18 on the road in 2017. Houston is clearly in a "mini-slump" but I'll back them to avoid the home sweep here. Make the Astros a 10* play.