The Houston Astros streak of 11 straight road wins was snapped yesterday in a 3-2 defeat to the surging Tampa Bay Rays. The two teams meet again today in a matinée at Tropicana Field. Are the Rays playing over their heads? I think so, but they are 7-3 in their last 10 and have disposed of some powerhouse teams like the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals. The Rays skipper, Kevin Cash, will stick to his experiment of starting relief pitching. Ryne Stanek will get the start for Tampa and in 24-1/3 innings of work he is 1-1, with a 1.85 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and in his last 11-2/3 innings he has given up just 2 runs. Justin Verlander will get the nod for Houston. Verlander has been almost unhittable at 9-3, with a 1.82 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. Now that is domination. Houston is 4-0 in Verlander’s last 4 road starts and in his career, he is 8-3 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Stanek’s numbers look impressive but remember, he is a reliever and has only pitched 24-1/3 innings. When Stanek gets the start for the Rays, they are just 1-4 in his last 5 against a team with a winning record and 0-4 against the American League West. It’s hard to go against the World Champs and especially when Verlander is on the hill.
TODAY’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS