Here's who has the edge in Astros-Rangers intrastate ALCS slobberknocker

STONE COLD 'STROS

The ALCS is set with the Texas Rangers heading to Minute Maid Park to play the Astros in Game 1 on Sunday night.

It's no secret that these teams don't like one another, so it should make for an entertaining series. Houston will send Justin Verlander to the mound to face LHP Jordan Montgomery in the first game.

It will be interesting to see if Dusty Baker will start Michael Brantley against the lefty, or if we'll see Mauricio Dubon and Chas McCormick in the outfield, with Yordan Alvarez hitting DH. When Brantley and McCormick are both playing, the Astros lineup gets scary deep. Rest could be a factor for Uncle Mike and his shoulder, but he'll have three days off before the team plays Sunday.

Tale of the Tape

The Rangers had the more potent offense in the regular season, but this is the playoffs. Just look at how different a hitter Jose Abreu is right now compared to the regular season.

As far as pitching goes, the Astros get the edge in the bullpen. One could argue that the starting pitching is a wash, and we don't know how Rangers ace Max Scherzer and Jon Gray will factor in as they're trying to return from injury.

Don't miss the video above as we preview the Rangers series and much more!

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The short-handed Astros beat the Rockies, 5-3. Composite Getty Image.

Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to move into second place on Houston's career hits list and the Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night to win their 12th straight series.

Altuve went 2 for 5 and gave the Astros a 4-2 lead with his 2,315th career hit, moving him past Jeff Bagwell. Craig Biggio leads the franchise with 3,060 career hits.

Altuve spoke about his relationship with Bagwell, and more after the game.

Hunter Brown (9-3) allowed two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out eight to join Lance McCullers Jr. as the only Astros pitchers to reach 500 in their first 86 appearances.

Bennett Sousa pitched the ninth for his third save.

Jake Meyers had a one-out double off Austin Gomber in the first and Altuve and Cam Smith followed with back-to-back singles for a 1-0 lead in the first.

Rookie Shay Whitcomb hit his first home run 451 feet to left-center field for a 2-0 lead in the second.

Cooper Hummel singled and Mauricio Dubón drew a walk off reliever Angel Chivilli (1-4) in the sixth. Altuve drove a two-out pitch from Jake Bird to center to score both. Smith followed with an RBI single for a 5-2 lead.

Thairo Estrada went 3 for 4 and singled and scored ahead of Mickey Moniak's 12th home run to tie it 2-2 in the Rockies' second.

Gomber allowed two runs on eight hits in five innings.

Houston has won three in a row and 16 of 21.

Key moment

Brown struck out Hunter Goodman in the third for No. 500 and then fanned Jordan Beck swinging on a 99.8 mph fastball — his fastest this season — to end the inning.

Key stat

The Rockies have lost all 14 series at home, dropping the first two games 13 times.

Up next

Astros LHP Brandon Walter (1-1, 3.34 ERA) starts Thursday's series finale opposite Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-9, 5.56).

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