Astros play the Rangers after Alvarez's 4-hit game

Houston Astros (77-64, first in the AL West) vs. Texas Rangers (72-69, third in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Friday, 8:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: TBD; Rangers: Merrill Kelly (11-7, 3.24 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 149 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros play the Texas Rangers after Yordan Alvarez had four hits on Thursday in an 8-4 loss to the Yankees.

Texas has gone 42-27 at home and 72-69 overall. The Rangers are 10th in the AL with 157 total home runs, averaging 1.1 per game.

Houston is 77-64 overall and 34-32 in road games. The Astros are 59-19 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.

Friday's game is the eighth time these teams meet this season. The Rangers are ahead 4-3 in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Wyatt Langford has 22 doubles and 21 home runs for the Rangers. Josh Jung is 16 for 40 with four doubles and a home run over the last 10 games.

Jeremy Pena has a .305 batting average to lead the Astros, and has 26 doubles, two triples and 15 home runs. Alvarez is 14 for 28 with two home runs and seven RBIs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 7-3, .290 batting average, 3.34 ERA, outscored opponents by 32 runs

Astros: 5-5, .244 batting average, 3.70 ERA, outscored by eight runs

INJURIES: Rangers: Danny Coulombe: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Corey Seager: 10-Day IL (appendectomy), Evan Carter: 60-Day IL (wrist), Nathan Eovaldi: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Marcus Semien: 10-Day IL (foot), Jon Gray: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Sam Haggerty: 10-Day IL (oblique), Tyler Mahle: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Cody Bradford: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josh Sborz: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Astros: Spencer Arrighetti: 15-Day IL (elbow), John Rooney: 60-Day IL (concussion / nasal), Brendan Rodgers: 60-Day IL (oblique), Pedro Leon: 60-Day IL (knee), Brandon Walter: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 15-Day IL (elbow), Josh Hader: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Isaac Paredes: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Jake Meyers: 10-Day IL (calf), Zach Dezenzo: 60-Day IL (hand), Ronel Blanco: 60-Day IL (elbow), Hayden Wesneski: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.