A pair of American League West rivals that took a step in the wrong direction in their respective playoff races on Sunday get a chance to reverse course when Texas Rangers and host Houston Astros open a critical three-game series on Monday night.

Right-handers Jack Leiter (9-8, 3.81 ERA) of the Rangers and Jason Alexander (4-1, 2.82 with Houston, 4.19 overall) of the Astros will get the ball rolling in the teams' final head-to-head set. Up 6-4, the Rangers need one win in the set to clinch the season series, which could turn into an important tiebreaker.

The Rangers had two narrow wins and one lopsided defeat when the American League West and AL wild-card contenders met Sept. 5-7 in Arlington. Neither Leiter nor Alexander pitched in that series.

Houston (81-69) begins the week in second

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