Tuesday Morning Hot Links

SWEAR WORDS AND PHYSICAL VIOLENCE! The Astros lost to the Rangers in the opener of the four-game series by the score of 5-3. On this miserably idiotic road trip, the Astros are 2-5, getting outscored by the whopping margin of 33-32. The Astros are a half-game up on the Rangers with 18 to play. FanGraphs still gives the Astros a 64.4% chance of winning the division, and an 85.9% chance of making the postseason.

*Normally-solid Will Harris has now allowed two game-winning homers in the last three days. 

Harris: It sucks. Nobody wants to lose a game, especially in a playoff race.

*A.J. Hinch - who made some questionable decisions (because you only question the decisions that clearly didn't work out) - says the team "isn't spooked."

*Carlos Gomez will miss the Rangers series.

*Jed Lowrie came out of the game because Cole Hamels hit him (and then he fouled the next pitch off of where he had just been hit). Hamels actually hit two batters last night, getting Valbuena up around the shoulder. Hitting Astros batters with pitches is becoming a thing: the Astros have been HBP'd seven times...on this road trip alone. 

Saying that the Astros should retaliate only makes one sound like a mouth-breather, because What If Someone Really Gets Hurt. But do some yelling, for crying out loud. Drop a deuce on the field. Piss on first base. Do something.

*FanGraphs' Jeff Sullivan: How the Rangers have gained on the Astros.

*Grant Brisbee: You're watching the start of a Rangers/Astros rivalry your grandkids will care about.