Texas @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( May 3, 2015 ) Oakland 7, Texas 1

Texas’ success on the road has played a big part in helping the team move into second place in the American League West, but the Rangers can point to the inability to beat the Oakland in a series as one of the reasons they trail the Houston Astros for the division lead. Texas, which owns a league-best 19-12 mark away from home, looks to even up its season series with the AL-worst Athletics on Tuesday as the division rivals square off for the first of three games in Oakland.

Despite losing for only the second time in their last 11 road games on Sunday, the Rangers were still able to take two of three at Kansas City and post their sixth consecutive series victory – the first time the franchise has accomplished that feat since 2012. Since losing at Boston on May 19, Texas has won 14 of 18 to move ahead two spots in the AL West, reducing a 9 1/2–game deficit to Houston down to 3 ½ entering play on Monday. Oakland (23-36), which split a four-game series with the Rangers to start the season before winning two of three in Texas to begin May, has fallen back on hard times since winning six of seven. The Athletics opened a stretch of playing 11 of 14 on the road by sweeping Detroit, but saw Boston return the favor with a three-game sweep of its own over the weekend.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Martinez (4-2, 2.89 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (7-2, 1.65)

After going 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA over his first nine turns, Martinez took his second straight loss when he was pounded for season highs in runs (seven) and hits (nine) while recording only 10 outs in a 9-2 home defeat versus the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. The outing marked the first time the 24-year-old Fordham product yielded more than three earned runs in 2015. Martinez will face Oakland for the third time this season, winning his season debut with seven scoreless innings before giving up five runs (two earned) in a no-decision on May 2.

Gray turned in his finest outing since falling six outs short of tossing a no-hitter against Texas in his season debut, yielding a pair of singles and a walk in eight more scoreless frames on Wednesday en route to a 6-1 victory at Detroit. The majors’ ERA leader has won each of his last three turns, allowing a total of two runs across 21 innings over that span. Gray, who also blanked the Rangers for 6 2/3 innings in a win on May 3, is 6-2 with a 1.54 ERA in eight career starts against Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas 1B Prince Fielder leads the majors with 26 multi-hit games.

2. Oakland’s starting pitchers are 8-4 with a 1.87 ERA over the last 15 contests.

3. The Rangers have not been shut out in 54 straight games – the longest such streak in the majors this season.

PREDICTION: Athletics 3, Rangers 2