Seattle @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2011 ) Seattle 6, Texas 7

THE STORY: The host Texas Rangers go for the sweep of the hapless Seattle Mariners on Wednesday in what has become one of the most lopsided matchups in baseball. The Rangers have won six straight over the Mariners and outscored them 33-10 during that span, and are 10-2 against Seattle this season. Tuesday’s 7-6 comeback victory kept Texas 1½ games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West. The Rangers will get a day off after the series finale before embarking on a key 10-game road trip.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Derek Holland (10-4, 4.35 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Jason Vargas (6-10, 4.02).

Typically inconsistent, Holland lasted 1 2/3 innings last time out after throwing a complete-game shutout in his previous start. Ichiro Suzuki is 4-for-19 (.211) against him. Vargas is coming off his best start in nearly a month. He blanked the Angels over six innings after yielding 18 earned runs over his previous four starts. Josh Hamilton is 2-for-14 (.143) against him, but Nelson Cruz is 5-for-15 (.333) with three homers.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (66-51): Center fielder Endy Chavez broke out of a 2-for-22 skid by going 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs Tuesday. Josh Hamilton’s walk-off single Tuesday was his third game-ending hit this season. Shortstop Elvis Andrus got a night off Tuesday because starting Friday, Texas will play 17 straight days, including seven games against the second-place Angels and four against AL East leader Boston. Manager Ron Washington is pacing his regulars for that stretch and will give someone else the day off Wednesday.

ABOUT THE MARINERS (49-66): Seattle had scored three runs or less in 18 of its previous 28 games before a decent offensive night Tuesday when they got 11 hits and six runs. First baseman Justin Smoak has missed six straight games with a left thumb injury, but manager Eric Wedge said Smoak should be back by Friday. Second baseman Jack Wilson, who is struggling with a .236 average, has picked it up lately, going 6-for-16 with four doubles over his past four games.

FINAL PITCH: Texas has won five of six overall and scored 39 runs over that span (6.5 per game).