Texas @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jul 2, 2014 ) Texas 4, Baltimore 6
The Baltimore Orioles look to complete a sweep when they host the Texas Rangers in the finale of their four-game series on Thursday. After winning the first two games of the set, Baltimore appeared to be on its way to a loss Wednesday as it fell behind 4-0 after three innings. But Adam Jones began the comeback with a solo homer in the fourth and the Orioles scored three runs in the sixth to tie it before Ryan Flaherty led off the seventh with a blast to put Baltimore ahead to stay.
Jones recorded his third RBI of the night with a single later in the inning for the Orioles, who improved to 6-4 on their 11-game homestand and belted at least two homers in their sixth consecutive game. The loss was the 12th in 14 contests for Texas, which fell 10 games below .500 and 14 behind first-place Oakland in the American League West. The Rangers have struggled mightily on the road of late, losing eight in a row away from home.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yu Darvish (8-4, 2.42 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (7-3, 4.19)
Darvish produced his sixth scoreless performance of the season Saturday, scattering four hits and a walk over eight innings while fanning 10 batters. The 27-year-old native of Japan has reached double digits in strikeouts five times this season - all over his last nine outings. Darvish made his only career start against Baltimore in the 2012 American League Wild Card Game, suffering the loss after allowing three runs - two earned - and five hits in 6 2/3 frames.
Chen is coming off the shortest outing of his career, a 3 1/3-inning effort against Tampa Bay on Saturday in which he yielded five runs and seven hits en route to his first loss in 10 starts. The 28-year-old from Taiwan went 4-0 during his nine-game unbeaten streak, allowing three runs or fewer seven times since falling at Minnesota on May 3. Chen has had tremendous success against Texas in his brief career, going 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas C Geovany Soto (knee) is slated to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.
2. Orioles RHP Bud Norris (groin) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and could return to the rotation early next week at Washington.
3. The Rangers have used a major league-leading 11 starting pitchers this season.
PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Orioles 3