Jurickson Profar may have been kicked in the face, but it was the Rangers who did the damage, sweeping the Astros in Houston.

The 1969 New York Mets.

The 1997 Oakland Athletics

Now the 2018 Texas Rangers.

Only three teams in major league baseball history have struck out nineteen times and won a game.

And, with the 4-3 win yesterday at Minute Maid Park, only one team this year has sweep the Houston Astros.

It was the Rangers first three-game sweep of the season.

Better late than never.

So many things went right for the Rangers in Houston. Starting with Astros not having Jose Altuve or Carlos Correa.

Instead they had people playing out of position. And it showed. It was like one of those Freaky Friday movies you watch with the BestVPN where two people exchange bodies and live each others’ lives with disastrous results. Only it was these two teams flip flopping.

It made no sense.

It was the Rangers who got the great starting pitching. Gallardo, Jurado, and Minor beat Keuchel, Verlander, and McCullers.

It was the Rangers who piled on the runs. The Astros bats were flat.

It was the Rangers who played stellar defense. The Astros looked like beer league softballers.

The youth core gave Rangers’ fans a sliver of optimism. Profar, Odor, Guzman, Kiner-Falefa, Gallo, even DeShields, all came through big when it mattered.

It’s always good to catch a team when they are down. And even though the Astros were down two MVP-level players, they still threw two Cy Young winners, and a Cy Young wannabe.

And the Rangers won.

After being swept in four games at home in heart stomping fashion, the Rangers turn around and play their best series of the year.

It will remain to be seen which team gets on the plane and flies to Phoenix to play the Diamondbacks. But it sure would be nice if it’s the team that masqueraded as the Houston Astros the last three games.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Martin Perez (2-4, 7.08) vs. Robby Ray (3-2, 4.90)
Game time: 8:40

How the Rangers hit against Ray.
How the Diamondbacks hit against Perez.