Houston @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2011 ) Houston 4, Texas 5

THE STORY: Interleague play has turned out to be the answer to the Texas Rangers' brief slide, especially when the Houston Astros are involved. After a 5-4 win in 11 innings Tuesday against the Astros, the Rangers have won four of five interleague games since snapping a season-long five-game losing streak.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Houston, Fox Sports Southwest

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Brett Myers (3-6, 4.75 ERA) vs. Ranges RH Colby Lewis (6-7, 4.80 ERA)

Myers threw his first complete game of the season in Friday's 7-3 win against the Dodgers, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. He needed only 98 pitches to do it, picking up just his second win in his last six decisions. Myers has faced the Rangers just once, in 2008, and allowed five runs in two innings.

Lewis had back-to-back disastrous starts June 6 against Detroit and June 11 at Minnesota — he gave up 15 runs in 4 2/3 innings over those two outings — but bounced back nicely Friday at Atlanta. He held the Braves to two runs over 6 2/3 innings of a 6-2 win and struck out 10, hitting double-digit strikeouts for only the second time in 14 starts this season. In five games (two starts) against the Astros, Lewis is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA. He split two starts against them last season, throwing a two-hitter in the victory.

ABOUT THE ASTROS (27-48): Houston continues to hold the worst record in the majors after squandering a late lead on Josh Hamilton's tying home run in the eighth and Mitch Moreland's winning blast in the 11th. The Astros have now lost nine games when leading entering the eighth inning. Houston hopes to get outfielder Hunter Pence back soon. He sat out a fourth consecutive game with a sprained left elbow. The Astros needed Pence's bat in the middle of the order to help drive in the guys at the top of the lineup. The first three hitters — Jason Bourgeois, Michael Bourn and Jeff Keppinger — had three hits apiece Tuesday. Keppinger has hit safely in nine consecutive games

ABOUT THE RANGERS (40-35): The Rangers now hold the best home record in the American League at 22-13, a few percentage points better than Cleveland (23-14). Texas has won 12 of the past 14 meetings with the Astros since 2009. The Rangers' four home runs Tuesday — one apiece by Hamilton, Moreland, Nelson Cruz and Michael Young — were their most in a game this month. They've hit four or more home runs seven times this season, including three consecutive games from May 28-30. Hamilton has hit safely in 16 consecutive interleague games and has hit .377 in 58 career interleague games.

FINAL PITCH: Tuesday's 11-inning game was the longest between the in-state rivals since the first meeting in 2001, which the Astros won in 11 innings.