Cleveland @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2011 ) Cleveland 7, Texas 8
THE STORY: The Texas Rangers needed a boost late Friday night. Thanks to Michael Young's bat and Elvis Andrus' legs, they got it and rallied for an 8-7 win over the Cleveland Indians. Young's two-out, two-run homer off Chris Perez tied the game in the ninth, while Andrus scored from second base on Josh Hamilton's infield hit in the 11th for the winning run. The three-game series continues Saturday night at Rangers Ballpark. Texas is 5-0 against Cleveland this season.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSSW (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Fausto Carmona (5-11, 5.31 ERA) vs. Rangers LH C.J. Wilson (10-5, 3.37 ERA).
No one would blame manager Manny Acta for getting a headache every time Carmona pitches. Cleveland's Opening Day starter has two wins in his last 14 starts. Carmona lost to the Rangers on June 4, allowing two-run homers to Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. He's 2-7 lifetime against Texas. Wilson has pitched well against Cleveland, whether it's been as a starter or reliever. He's 2-1 with a 2.62 ERA in 34 1/3 innings. Wilson tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a win over the Indians on June 5. He held Cleveland to three hits and struck out seven. Wilson is 0-2 in his last three starts.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (63-50): Ian Kinsler is in a 3-for-39 slump, but manager Ron Washington says he won't move him out of the leadoff spot. Texas’ offense hasn’t been its potent self the last two weeks and Kinsler's skid is a big reason. Kinsler doubled Friday and hit another ball hard, so there are some signs he's coming out of it, but he still isn't looking like the hitter who sparked the offense when he batted .286 last season.
ABOUT THE INDIANS (55-55): The Indians haven't been under .500 since April 3 when they were 1-2. Cleveland lost its first two games of the season, but won its next eight, triggering a hot start that made the Indians the talk of baseball through the first two months. Those days are a distant memory. The Indians are 25-40 since May 23 and have fallen four games behind Detroit in the American League Central in what's becoming less of a race each day.
FINAL PITCH: Friday’s loss ruined another big night for Indians catcher Carlos Santana, who hit a three-run homer and a two-run double. Santana has eight RBIs in his last two games. The late collapse also deprived Ubaldo Jimenez of a win in his American League debut.