Cleveland @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2012 ) Cleveland 2, Texas 5
A visit from the struggling Cleveland Indians has proven to be a boon for the Texas Rangers as they try to hold off a charge from American League West rival Oakland. The Rangers' division lead stands three games over the red-hot Athletics as they try to finish their first three-game sweep since taking three at San Diego from June 18-20.
The Rangers have the right guy on the mound to do it in left-hander Derek Holland, who is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five starts against the Indians - and they're in the right ballpark. The Rangers are a major league-best 45-25 at home and have not lost a series at Rangers Ballpark since dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox from July 27-29. The opponent is a good fit, too - the Indians have lost five straight and are 9-31 since the start of August.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio, Fox Sports Southwest
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Zach McAllister (5-7, 4.31 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (10-6, 4.59)
The Indians have lost McAllister's last five starts, and he has been saddled with the loss in his past three outings. He lasted just three innings Saturday at Minnesota, allowing two runs on two hits with three walks. The Rangers roughed up McAllister for seven runs in five innings Sept. 2, his first career start against Texas.
Holland has won three straight decisions, and he was denied a fourth despite turning in one of his best outings of the season Friday at Tampa Bay. He racked up a career-high 11 strikeouts and allowed one run on two hits over eight innings, but the Rays rallied for a 3-1 win. Holland beat Cleveland on Sept. 2, holding the Indians to two runs over seven innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre left Wednesday's game with a left shoulder strain and was scheduled for an MRI. Beltre has hit .405 (32-for-79) with 13 homers and 24 RBIs in his last 20 games.
2. Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera has missed three straight games with a sore right wrist. Cabrera is mired in an 0-for-13 slump.
3. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus has hit safely in all 31 game he has played against Cleveland. Andrus is 1-for-3 against McAllister.