First pitch: Thursday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Los Angeles +100, Texas -110, Total: 9

The Rangers will be going for their third straight victory when they host the Angels on Thursday.

Only three games separate the Rangers and Angels in the AL West, so the Angels can actually still win the division if they are able to string together a few wins against this Texas team on the road. This is the first of a four-game set, though, and one more win by the Rangers would mean that the Angels are playing for strictly a wild card spot. One thing the Angels should feel good about is how well they’ve played lately. The Angels have won 10 of their past 13 games, so they enter this series with the Rangers in about as good of form as they can be in. The starters in this one will be LHP Andrew Heaney (6-3, 3.29 ERA, 77 K) for Los Angeles and LHP Derek Holland (3-3, 4.99 ERA, 35 K) for Texas. The Angels are 34-13 against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the past two seasons, but they are up against a Rangers team that is 36-22 against the money line after having won two of their past three games this season. The Angels are not dealing with many significant injuries in their lineup, but the Rangers will be without 2B Jurickson Profar (Shoulder) for the remainder of the season.

Andrew Heaney will look to keep the Angels in the hunt for a division title on Thursday and he’s pitching extremely well recently. Heaney has allowed two or less earned runs in three straight starts, striking out an average of five batters per game in that span. In his only start against the Rangers this season, Heaney pitched six innings and allowed just two earned runs. He’ll be looking to find similar success against this Texas lineup on Thursday. OF Mike Trout (.299, 41 HR, 89 RBI) had a big game on Wednesday, going 3-for-3 with a homer. Trout will need to stay hot over the next couple of games, as the Angels need him to lead them into the postseason. Another guy who must also contribute at the plate is DH Albert Pujols (.239, 38 HR, 91 RBI). Pujols went 0-for-4 on Wednesday, but he was 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI in Tuesday’s victory and he homered in Monday’s victory. He’ll be the guy relied on to drive in Trout when the superstar is able to reach base in this one.

The Rangers can eliminate the Angels as contenders to win the division by coming away with a victory on Thursday and Derek Holland will be on the mound for them. Holland has really struggled recently, allowing four or more earned runs in four straight games. If the Rangers are going to win on Thursday then Holland must snap out of his most recent funk. One good sign is that he was brilliant against the Angels on Sep. 5, allowing just one earned run while striking out five batters in eight innings of work. 3B Adrian Beltre (.283, 17 HR, 74 RBI) and OF Mike Napoli (.225, 18 HR, 50 RBI) were the guys that got it going on Wednesday for this Rangers offense. Both players hit two-run homers and C Robinson Chirinos (.230, 10 HR, 34 RBI) added a solo shot as well. Beltre is one guy that must keep it up heading into what could be a postseason run for this Rangers team.