Mariners at Rangers
The Texas Rangers fired manager Jeff Banister, and veteran slugger Adrian Beltre responded with a big performance hours later. Beltre and the Rangers look to improve to 2-0 under interim skipper Don Wakamatsu when they host the Seattle Mariners on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series.
Beltre homered and registered a season-best five RBIs as Texas posted an 8-3 victory in a game halted in the seventh inning due to rain. The 39-year-old moved into 30th place all-time in home runs with 476 - snapping a tie with Stan Musial and Willie Stargell - and raised his career RBI count to 1,703, passing Jim Thome and Reggie Jackson on the all-time list. The Rangers halted a four-game losing streak in a disappointing season that cost Banister his job as general manager Jon Daniels claimed the team needed a new voice in the dugout. Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz, who is mired in a six-game home run drought, is four blasts shy of reaching 40 for the fourth time in his career.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (12-9, 4.28 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Mike Minor (12-7, 4.14)
Gonzales has gone without a decision in back-to-back starts since returning from a neck injury. The 26-year-old lost four consecutive turns before going on the disabled list, posting a ghastly 10.35 ERA during that stretch. Gonzales was shelled for seven runs and 12 hits in five innings of a loss to the Rangers on Aug. 8 that dropped him to 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career meetings.
Minor has won six of his last seven decisions and allowed fewer than three runs in eight of his last nine turns. The 30-year-old has performed well at home this season, going 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 outings. Minor is 0-1 with a 7.24 ERA in three starts against Seattle this year and 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Beltre has hit seven of his 14 homers this month.
2. Seattle LHP James Paxton (pneumonia) threw a bullpen session on Friday and could make two starts in the final week of the season.
3. Texas OF-1B Joey Gallo (toe) hit his 38th homer on Friday after missing the previous three games.