Tampa Bay @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2012 ) Tampa Bay 0, Texas 1

Matt Harrison is having a fine season for the Texas Rangers but there is that one awful outing from April hanging over his head. The Tampa Bay Rays take another shot at Harrison in Wednesday’s finale of the three-game series after torching him for seven runs (six earned) and a career-worst 14 hits in the early-season meeting. Harrison has rebounded to win a career-high 15 games and is coming off solid back-to-back outings.

Tampa Bay has lost four consecutive games after dropping the first two games of the series. The Rays are 1 1/2 games out of the American League wild card spots currently held by the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics. Evan Longoria homered and had four RBIs against Harrison in the April outing. Texas has won six of seven games and has a 5 1/2-game lead over Oakland in the AL West race. Ian Kinsler homered for the lone run in Tuesday’s contest. Tampa Bay has been shut out five times in August and four of them have been 1-0 losses.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), Fox Sports Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Cobb (8-8, 4.32 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Matt Harrison (15-7, 3.04)

Cobb has won four straight decisions and was sensational in his last outing when he blanked the Oakland Athletics on four hits. He struck out eight while tossing his first career shutout. Cobb hasn’t faced Texas this season. He received a no-decision last year in his only career start against the Rangers when he gave up three runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Harrison has won back-to-back starts and given up just two runs and four hits in 16 innings during the stretch. He threw eight innings of two-hit ball against the Minnesota Twins in his last outing. Harrison is 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA in five regular-season appearances (two starts) against Tampa Bay.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre went 0-for-2 with a walk Tuesday after slugging six homers and driving in 13 runs over the previous eight games.

2. Rays INF Jeff Keppinger went 3-for-3 against Harrison in the April outing.

3. Texas closer Joe Nathan has converted 25 consecutive save opportunities. His personal-best streak is 27 straight for the Minnesota Twins in 2004.