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20 DIME TEXAS RANGERS -1' RUNS (Padilla over Backe) - Forget the Angels, the Rangers are proving everyone wrong about their projections for the American League West, and they’re doing it with a prolific offense that ranks seventh in the American League in runs scored and second in the bigs in home runs. I’m looking for the long ball tonight, and I’m banking on plenty of runs, as I think the Rangers smoke Houston for an easy run line victory tonight.

Though neither team has swept the season series since they began playing one another back in 2001, this is the right spot for the Rangers to buck that trend. They’ve won five straight over Houston, they swept the first three-game set back in May and they’re 6-2 in Interleague play this season.

I’ll get to Vicente Padilla in a minute, but let’s start with Houston’s Brandon Backe, who is making his first start of the season, as he replaces Mike Hampton in the rotation after he was placed on the DL due to a strained left groin. Backe, who was 9-14 with a 6.05 ERA in 31 starts for the Astros last season, has had his problems with the Rangers, specifically Michael Young, who went 2 for 5 in last night’s win.

Young is batting .471 (8-for-17) in four games against Houston this season and is a stellar 10-for-13 with two home runs lifetime against Backe, who is 1-2 with a 6.52 ERA in three career starts against Texas

Now, as for Padilla, he’s looking for his fifth win in six starts after last Friday’s impressive 6-0 victory over the Major League-frontrunning Dodgers. He looked good in striking out two and yielding four hits over five innings. The veteran right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.80 in his last two starts against the Astros.