Not only are bragging rights for the Lone Star State up for grabs Monday, but a trip to the World Series is on the line between the defending champion Houston Astros Astros and the upstart Texas Rangers.

Game 7 of the American League Championship Series takes place at Minute Maid Park in Houston (first pitch 8:03 p.m. ET), as the Astros try to end the trend of the road team winning each game in this series.

The Astros have plated six runs at home in the ALCS, compared to 23 runs scored in three games in Arlington.

Houston is also trying not to avoid a repeat of the 2019 World Series against Washington in which the Astros won three road games but lost all four at home, including Game 7.

Texas managed its third road victory of the ALCS in Sunday’s 9-2 victory in Game 6 in which the Rangers scored five runs in the ninth inning to put the game out of reach.

Midseason pickup Max Scherzer has struggled in the postseason recently, including allowing five runs in four innings of a Game 3 home loss to the Astros.

Scherzer takes the mound Monday as an underdog, even though the Rangers have yet to lose on the road in seven games this October.

Cristian Javier counters for Houston as the right-hander who has won his last four playoff starts going back to last season. Javier defeated Scherzer and the Rangers in Game 3 on the road, and he is making his first home start since Sept. 20.

It’s hard to jump off the bandwagon of the road team winning each game because Houston’s offense hasn’t gotten going at home in this series.

As long as Scherzer can revert back to his ace form for even roughly double-digit outs, the Rangers will capture their first pennant since 2011.

The Pick: Rangers +110