 before its rookie starter Cristian Javier gave up his only runs in the sixth.Josh Reddick also had three hits, capped by a two-run homer in the ninth.The Astros (29-28) have to win only one of their three remaining games against Texas to secure second place in the AL West, and a spot in baseball's expanded playoff during the pandemic-shortened season. They also get in if the Angels (26-31) lose any in their final three-game series against the NL-best Dodgers.Houston's three-year reign as AL West champion has already been ended by Oakland. Seattle had the day off when the Astros won to eliminate them from the playoff chase.Texas (19-38), which has lost four in a row, will finish at the bottom of the division.Javier (5-2) struck out six while allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked one, hit a batter and threw three wild pitches. He held the Rangers without a run until Willie Calhoun's two-run homer in the sixth.Lynn, the 33-year-old workhorse who has another year left on his Texas contract, allowed a career-high 10 runs over 5 2-3 innings.Bregman had an RBI triple and scored in the first to put Houston ahead to stay, and Springer's 14th homer was a three-run shot on a 445-foot drive to straightway center in the second. Bregman hit a two-run homer in the fifth, an inning before Altuve's three-run shot.Bregman, Springer, Altuve and Reddick have been mainstays for the Astros in their recent playoff runs, including the 2017 World Series title and another AL pennant last year.A's right-hander Mike Fiers was the whistleblower in the Astros' offseason sign-stealing scandal. He publicly called out his former club for cheating in an article published by The Athletic last November. Manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow lost their jobs after MLB's investigation into the claims.Veteran manager Dusty Baker was replaced Hinch just before spring training, and is in line to become the first major league manager to take five different teams to the postseason. He previously went to the playoffs managing the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals.TRAINER'S ROOMRangers: Rookie 3B Sherten Apostel left the game because of back spasms after an awkward diving attempt to field a ball in the second inning. He was replaced in the lineup by Andrew Romine, a veteran who made his first big league appearance since September 2018 with Seattle.UP NEXTJose Urquidy (1-1, 2.78 ERA), who started the season on the injured list after a positive COVID-19 test, starts for the Astros when they try to clinch their playoff spot. Rookie Kyle Cody (1-1) pitches for the Raners.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Astros face playoff pressure at RangersThe Houston Astros squandered an opportunity to clinch a postseason berth on Wednesday and put themselves in a position to face a stressful four-game weekend series in Arlington.By dropping the rubber match of their three-game series with the Seattle Mariners, the Astros (28-28) saw their magic number to secure second place in the American League West hold at two. Houston lost 3-2 and has scored more than three runs just four times over its last 16 games and five series.The Astros will close the regular season against the Texas Rangers (19-37) at Globe Life Field."We need to do a better job offensively," Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said. "We need to get better. It's getting down to the end of the season so we need to start swinging the bats a lot better." Said Astros manager Dusty Baker: "We're better hitters than we're hitting. The guys are putting in the work and putting in the time." Houston remains in pole position, needing just one win and one loss by the Los Angeles Angels to qualify for the postseason. The Angels open a three-game series against the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.Still, given their offensive struggles, the Astros know what is required this weekend."I think we just need to play better baseball," Bregman said.Rookie right-hander Cristian Javier (4-2, 3.33 ERA) will start the series opener for Houston on Thursday. In his return to the rotation following his second career relief appearance, Javier allowed two runs on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts over four innings in a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.Javier has recorded a 3.55 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 42 strikeouts over 45 2/3 innings in nine starts. He limited the Rangers to one run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 victory at Minute Maid Park on Sept. 2.Right-hander Lance Lynn (6-2, 2.53 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Rangers. Lynn is tied for the MLB lead in starts (12), is second in innings pitched (78 1/3) and has posted the lowest WHIP (0.96) of his career.Lynn has logged seven innings in each of his previous three starts, going 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA and 21 strikeouts while limiting opposing batters to a .189 average during that stretch. He did allow a season-high six runs on eight hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over six innings in an 8-4 loss to the Astros on Sept. 3.Lynn is 5-5 with a 3.13 ERA over 12 career appearances (11 starts) against Houston.Rookie left-hander Wes Benjamin will not make a start in the Houston series but he continues to make a name for himself as Texas brass evaluates potential fixtures down the stretch. Benjamin allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk over five innings but did not factor into the decision in a 7-3 loss to Arizona on Wednesday."I know he wants the ball, I know he loves to compete out there," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "I trust his execution, I think that shows right from the beginning from pitch one. He executes all his pitches done by the count, attacks the game plan for the opposing hitter and he just does that as consistently as anybody on our roster to be honest." --Field Level Media
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