Baltimore @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Apr 10, 2011 ) Texas 3, Baltimore 0
THE STORY: Former Texas manager Buck Showalter and slugger Vladimir Guerrero make their return to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington — this time in Baltimore Orioles uniforms — for a three-game series starting Monday against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers took two of three when the teams met in Baltimore in April.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MASN, Fox Sports Southwest
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Jakubauskas (2-1, 5.68 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Colby Lewis (7-7, 4.32 ERA)
Jakubauskas suffered his first loss of the season Wednesday against St. Louis, allowing five runs over five innings in a 5-1 loss. The five runs were the most he has allowed in five starts this season. Jakubauskas has made three relief appearances against the Rangers and is 0-0 with an 8.00 ERA in nine innings.
Lewis had back-to-back disastrous outings in early June, but he has rebounded nicely to go 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA in his last three starts. He held Houston to two runs over 6 2/3 innings in a 3-2 win Wednesday. In five games (three starts) against the Orioles, Lewis is 0-3 with a 6.10 ERA. He lost to Baltimore on April 9, when he allowed five runs (four earned) over six innings in a 5-0 loss.
ABOUT THE ORIOLES (36-45): Baltimore snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-4 win at Atlanta on Sunday, avoiding
The stars at the plate were Nick Markakis, who had a career-high five hits, and Mark Reynolds, whose two-run homer in the seventh drove in the go-ahead run. Reynolds has five home runs and nine RBIs in his past seven games.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (44-41): The Rangers slipped into a first-place tie with the Angels in the American League West after blowing a late lead in a 6-4 loss to Florida on Sunday. The bullpen, which was depleted when Derek Holland couldn't get out of the first inning in Saturday's loss to the Marlins, was unable to hold the 2-1 lead C.J. Wilson left them when he departed with one out in the eighth.
FINAL PITCH: Guerrero's bat helped the Rangers reach last year's World Series — he hit 29 home runs and led the team with 115 RBIs — but he has not provided the same punch for the Orioles, especially lately. He is hitting .161 with no RBIs in his past 12 games.