Texas @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( May 28, 2014 ) Texas 1, Minnesota 0

The Texas Rangers try to win their second straight four-game set when they visit the struggling Minnesota Twins on Thursday in the series finale. The Rangers are 5-2 on their 11-game road trip after a 1-0 victory Wednesday for their major league-leading 10th shutout of the season. Closer Joakim Soria redeemed himself with a perfect ninth inning after blowing his first save of the season Tuesday, prompting him to tell reporters: "Just another chance to work … I'm glad we got the win."

The Twins lost five of their last six games and Joe Mauer, who missed five contests earlier this month with a back injury, continues to struggle at .277 with only 15 RBIs. "I feel pretty good actually, which is even more frustrating," Mauer, who is 4-for-20 in his last five contests, told reporters. Texas rookie Nick Martinez earned his first major-league victory in his last start and opposes Samuel Deduno, who lost his last outing but continues to cement his spot in the rotation.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Martinez (1-1, 2.14 ERA) vs. Twins RH Samuel Deduno (1-3, 3.48)

Martinez scattered eight hits and yielded one run in six innings of Texas' 12-2 victory at Detroit on Saturday in his fourth career start. “These kinds of outings just reassure you that you can do it,” the 23-year-old Florida native told reporters. “It just pushes you over that little hump that lets you know you can do it up here.” Martinez has proven versatile to the Rangers as he is 1-0 with a 2.86 ERA as a starter and 0-1, 0.77 in five relief appearances.

Deduno allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 2-1 loss at San Francisco on Saturday and has proven his worth as a starter. "You earn your spots up here and he's definitely doing that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters. "I don't think anybody, if he keeps pitching like that, is going to take his spot in the rotation." The 30-year-old Dominican Republic native is 1-2 with a 3.97 ERA in four starts this season and 15-15 with a 4.08 ERA in 37 career turns.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas OF Alex Rios on Wednesday extended his hitting streak to 11 games, but his string of multi-hit contests ended at seven.

2. Minnesota CF Aaron Hicks on Wednesday was a late scratch with a back issue and is listed as day-to-day.

3. The Rangers are 7-4 since 1B Prince Fielder went down with a season-ending neck injury.

PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Twins 2