Cleveland @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 8, 2015 ) Cleveland 7, Texas 8

If recent history is any guide, the Cleveland Indians will have a chance to break out of a season-long slump when they visit Texas for the first of three games Friday night. The Indians have claimed 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Rangers, including five of the past six at Texas.

They've also averaged 11 hits in that span of dominance, including a pair of 18-hit efforts, one of which came in a 17-7 rout in their last visit to Arlington on June 9. That sort of offensive firepower has been lacking for the Indians, who have been held to four runs or fewer seven times in a 3-6 stretch, capped by Thursday's 2-1 loss to St. Louis. The Rangers are 5-11 at home - tied for the worst home record in the American League - after a 6-3 loss to Kansas City on Thursday. Texas lefty Wandy Rodriguez, who had a franchise-record stretch of 34 straight outs across portions of his last two starts, is good to go after wrestling with back spasms in his previous outing Sunday against Tampa Bay.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Southwest (Dallas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians LH Bruce Chen (0-1, 13.50 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Wandy Rodriguez (1-1, 2.70)

Chen's debut with Cleveland - his 11th team - did not go so well, as the veteran gave up six runs on 10 hits in four innings of a loss to Minnesota on Saturday. He will be appearing in his 400th career game and his 12th versus Texas, against whom he has an 8.45 ERA. Rangers sluggers Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder are a combined 16-for-52 with five home runs against Chen.

Rodriguez has let up two runs on five hits in 14 dominant innings over his last two starts, which featured the record-setting run of outs and 14 strikeouts overall. He has a sterling 1.42 ERA in three road starts but gave up four runs on five hits and five walks in just 4 1/3 innings in his only appearance at home April 29 against Seattle. The 36-year-old, who has never faced Cleveland, has a 9.88 ERA in three career starts in Arlington.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland pitchers have recorded 30 strikeouts over the last two games.

2. Rangers RF Shin-Soo Choo had three more hits in Thursday's loss and has hit .373 during a 14-game hitting streak.

3. Indians C Yan Gomes (knee) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday with Single-A Lake County.

PREDICTION: Rangers 6, Indians 4