Detwiler vs. Keuchel Turns Baseball on its Head

In baseball betting, a line such as the one that accompanied Monday night's game between Texas and Houston is basically considered a landslide.

The Astros, who were trotting out arguably the best pitcher in baseball and the AL's pitcher of the month for April, were favored at -194.0, meaning you basically had nothing to gain by betting on them. They were that much of a lock, and it's easy to see why. The Rangers were rolling out one of the worst pitchers in baseball through the first month in Ross Detwiler.

Keuchel's ERA entering the game? Try a nice, cool 0.73. Detwiler's? It was an 8.66, and the Rangers had lost every game he'd started. Pretty much a slam dunk, right? Wrong.

Monday's game showed just how crazy and day-to-day baseball can be. The Rangers had no business winning that game, especially when you consider the fact that Keuchel struck out eight in eight innings and allowed just one run. But Detwiler fanned a season-high seven in a season-high seven innings and allowed a season-low one run, and thanks to a couple of timely hits late, Detwiler finally saw one of his starts end in a Rangers win, even if it was a no-decision for him.

Now, the Rangers have a shot to beat former Ranger Scott Feldman on Tuesday to give the team its first winning streak — even if it is just two games — of the season and their first series victory of the season over the hottest team in baseball that entered Monday on a 10-game winning streak.

Go figure.

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