Tampa Bay @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2015 ) Texas 2, Tampa Bay 1

The Tampa Bay Rays have climbed back into the American League playoff race by winning four straight and start a Lone Star State trip with the first of three against the Texas Rangers on Friday. Tampa Bay is averaging 5.4 runs over the last 14 games and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has taken a lead role, recording multiple hits in eight of his last nine contests.

Others are taking turns stepping up for the Rays, who split four against Texas in May, with Kevin Kiermaier registering seven RBIs in his last six starts. The Rangers snapped a three-game slide with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory on Thursday at Minnesota that ended a 2-4 road trip. Texas has a major league-low 23 victories at home, but has won seven of its last eight at Globe Life Park, while Tampa Bay is 6-14 in its last 20 on the road and heads to Houston on Monday. Prince Fielder is 8-for-20 with five RBIs over the last five contests, raising his AL-leading average to .327 for the Rangers.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Nathan Karns (7-5, 3.52 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (1-2, 5.81)

Karns is unbeaten in his last four starts, recording three victories while allowing seven runs over 21 1/3 innings with 22 strikeouts and six walks. The 27-year-old has limited opponents to two or fewer runs in 16 of his 22 starts, but he has yielded six homers in the past five outings. Mike Napoli is 2-for-2 with a double and a walk versus Karns, who gave up two runs in seven innings to beat Texas on May 8.

Perez did not receive a decision last time out after permitting three runs (two earned) in six frames of an 11-3 victory at Seattle. The 24-year-old, who allowed one run and two hits over 8 1/3 innings to beat San Francisco on August 2, has not surrendered a homer in 26 1/3 frames this season. Evan Longoria is 3-for-4 with a homer versus Perez, who is 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in two games (one start) against the Rays.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas 1B Mitch Moreland knocked in four runs Thursday to push his total to a career-high 61, eclipsing his previous high of 60 in 2013.

2. The Rays activated OF Desmond Jennings, who has been out since April with a knee injury, and optioned OF Joey Butler to Triple-A Durham.

3. Rangers OF Josh Hamilton (sore left knee) sat out the last two games and was scheduled to have an MRI on Friday.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Rangers 3