Texas @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2012 ) Texas 2, Toronto 1

The Texas Rangers will be looking for a bullpen break after using five relievers in a narrow victory at Toronto. Matt Harrison may be just the man for the job as he leads the Rangers into Sunday's series finale at the Rogers Centre. Harrison has thrown three complete games already this season - and a fourth would be welcomed by a Rangers team that needed 4 2/3 innings of relief to dispatch the Blue Jays 2-1 Saturday afternoon and even their three-game set at a win apiece.

While Saturday's win helped stemmed the Rangers' losing tide - they had dropped four of five heading into the day - the team's offensive struggles continued. Texas has scored 18 runs over its last six games, but 10 of those came in a victory over the New York Yankees earlier in the week. The Rangers will look to rekindle their offensive spark against Blue Jays right-hander Henderson Alvarez, one of the American League's most generous pitchers when it comes to surrendering home runs.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Matt Harrison (13-7, 3.24 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Henderson Alvarez (7-10, 4.48)

Harrison has been the club's road warrior, making 14 of his 23 starts away from Arlington. He hasn't seemed to mind the scheduling quirk, posting an impressive 9-4 road record with a 3.12 ERA. He was the hard-luck loser last time out, limiting the New York Yankees to one run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings but getting nothing in the way of run support. Harrison has struggled mightily against Toronto, saddled with an 0-2 record and a 12.00 ERA in five appearances, including four starts.

A quick glance at Henderson's statistics and it may appear that the longball has been his biggest cause for concern. Yet, while the 22-year-old has surrendered a team-high 21 home runs in 23 starts, he has actually kept the ball in the park of late - allowing one home run during his current three-game losing skid. The story so far in August has been a serial lack of run support, with Toronto providing only four runs in his three starts. Alvarez has had one appearance against Texas, allowing five runs over 5 2/3 innings May 26.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto is the only American League team Harrison hasn't beaten in his five-year major-league career.

2. Texas is only 19-21 since July 1 and has been outscored 197-171 in that span.

3. Saturday's triumph clinched the season series for Texas, which has a 5-3 edge entering its final meeting of the season with Toronto.