TEXAS TWO-STEP: TEXANS, COWBOYS SEEK SUCCESSFUL SUNDAY

BOTH THE Texans and Cowboys look for their first wins of the regular season
while the Astros seek to deliver a final blow to the dimming postseason hopes
of the Mariners. On a more local side of things, Tuesday brings its usual
schedule of high school volleyball matches as the picture begins to develop
in district races.
SUNDAY: The Texans look to even their record at 1-1 when they visit the
Titans beginning at noon. Each claimed a home win over each other last season
with Houston setting a franchise record in a 57-14 win over Tennessee on
October 1 while the Titans handed the Texans a 24-13 loss on December 3.
Although Houston has won six of the last eight meetings, Tennessee holds a
17-15 series edge. KHOU-11 will have the game live.
Justin Verlander (15-9, 2.72 ERA) continues his bid for American League Cy
Young Award consideration when he takes the mound for the Astros in the
series finale against the visiting Diamondbacks beginning at 1:10pm. Arizona
will counter with Zach Greinke, who comes into the game with a 14-9 record
and 3.11 ERA. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest will begin its coverage with the
pregame show at 12:30pm.
Area Cowboys fans will flock to KPRC-2 when Dallas seeks their first win of
2018 at the expense of longtime NFC East rival Giants at 7:20pm. The Cowboys
lost all four of their preseason games along with falling to the Panthers
in the regular season opener but have won seven of the last 10 meetings
against the G-Men, including victories of 19-3 and 30-10 last season.
MONDAY: Rookie hurler Framber Valdez (3-1, 2.66 ERA) continues his role
as the fill-in for injured Lance McCullers Jr when the Astros host the Mariners
at 7:10pm. Once a threat to Houston’s lead in the American League West,
Seattle entered the weekend 12 games behind the Astros while also seeing
their wild card hopes fade away. The Mariners will go to Wade LeBlanc (8-4,
3.56 ERA), who once pitched for Houston in 2013. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest
begins its coverage at 6:30pm with the pregame show.
TUESDAY: The evening’s high school volleyball slate begins at 6:00pm with
Clear Falls at Alvin, Clear Creek at Clear Lake and Clear Springs at Dickinson.
Texas City at Crosby, Friendswood at Galveston Ball, Tidehaven at
Hitchcock and Goose Creek Memorial at Santa Fe each start their matches
at 6:30pm.
Like Verlander, Gerrit Cole has a chance for Cy Young consideration and will
bring his 14-5 record and 2.88 ERA to the mound for Houston in the middle
game of the series against the Mariners. Mike Leake (10-9, 3.99 ERA) takes
the bump for Seattle when the game starts at 7:10pm. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest
starts with the pregame show at 6:30pm.