Cleveland @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2011 ) Cleveland 1, Texas 9
THE STORY: The Texas Rangers may want to petition the commissioner's office to see if they can keep playing the Cleveland Indians. The season series ends Thursday night, which is sad news for the Rangers, who have taken eight of nine against the Indians this season. Texas has hit seven homers and outscored Cleveland 19-5 in the first two games of this three-game series. The Rangers lead Los Angeles by three games in the American League West. The Indians are 2-4 on their 10-game road trip and are on the verge of elimination from the American League Central race.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSSW (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Fausto Carmona (6-14, 5.18 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Alexi Ogando (12-8, 3.71 ERA).
Carmona hasn't won since Aug. 17. He's 0-2 in his last five starts and has allowed 20 runs in 25 innings. After being rocked for seven runs in 1 1/3 innings against the Tigers on Sept. 6, Carmona showed some improvement on Saturday versus the White Sox when he gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings. He is 0-1 in two starts this season against Texas, allowing four runs in 6 1/3 innings in each outing. Carmona is 2-7 with a 5.16 ERA in 11 career starts against Texas.
Ogando is showing signs of wearing down in his first full season in a major league rotation. He has lost three consecutive starts and has allowed 12 earned in 12 2/3 innings. Since starting the season 7-0, Ogando is 5-8 with a 5.45 ERA in his last 15 starts and has lost four straight decisions at home. He's 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three career appearances against the Indians, including an 11-2 win on June 3 at Progressive Field. Ogando allowed one earned run and four hits in eight innings.
ABOUT THE INDIANS (72-74): After carrying the team for most of the season, Cleveland's pitching staff is finally running out of steam. The Indians have allowed 52 runs in their last six losses. The pitchers have given up 11 home runs in that stretch, including four grand slams in five of the losses. Cleveland's inability to score runs has put pressure on the pitchers all season and it appears they're finally caving in.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (85-64): Elvis Andrus will be the most disappointed Texas player to see the Indians leave town. It's an understatement to say he likes Cleveland pitching. A career .270 hitter, Andrus is batting .388 (33-for-85) lifetime against the Indians. He's hit safely in all 22 career games against Cleveland and three of his nine career home runs have come off Indians pitching. It's obvious the Indians need to come up with a new plan when it comes to going after Andrus.
FINAL PITCH: Nelson Cruz, who had been sidelined with a pulled hamstring, struck out as a pinch hitter Wednesday in his first at-bat since Aug. 28. Manager Ron Washington says he will bring Cruz along slowly, but he might make an exception Thursday. Cruz is batting .313 (5-for-16) with three home runs lifetime against Carmona.