Colorado @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 30, 2012 ) Texas 5, Colorado 3

Roy Oswalt gets to make his American League debut against a National League team when a slumping Colorado club heads to Arlington to open a three-game series with the Rangers. The Rockies had lost four straight and 12 of 13 before topping Philadelphia, 4-1, on Thursday. Texas, meanwhile, has won six in a row to extend its lead in the AL West to five games over the Los Angeles Angels.

This weekend’s matchup highlights two of the top offensive teams in the game. The Rangers lead the major leagues in most major offensive categories, including batting average (.281), runs scored (371) and OPS (.796). Colorado paces the National League with 341 runs scored, but it has been held back by a pitching staff that ranks last in the major leagues in almost every major category. A groin injury that figures to keep All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki out until August hasn’t helped matters.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Colorado), KTXA (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Christian Friedrich (4-3, 5.60 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Roy Oswalt (NR)

Friedrich has had his ups and downs during his rookie season, but he has been pretty tough when pitching away from Coors Field, going 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in five road starts. The left-hander has struggled mightily in his three outings against the American League, going 0-3 while allowing 20 runs (18 earned) on 22 hits in 14 innings.

Oswalt hopes to remain as effective as he was in his previous two seasons, when he posted a 3.13 ERA with Houston and Philadelphia. He went just 22-23 during that stretch, but he should get more run support from the Rangers. In 12 career starts against Colorado, Oswalt is 8-2 with a stellar 1.94 ERA, his lowest against any National League team.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado and Texas have not played one another since June 2006, when the Rockies took two of three at home. Prior to that series, the last head-to-head meetings took place back in 2001.

2. The Rockies are batting a combined .279 (24-for-85) against Oswalt, but C Ramon Hernandez (5-for-11, HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB) is on the disabled list. OF Carlos Gonzalez is 0-for-6 with three strikeouts.

3. Texas has won 37 of its last 53 home games, while the Rockies are 5-17 in their last 22 interleague contests.