Rangers at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics appear to have found the cure for their offensive woes - the Texas Rangers' pitching staff. Oakland hopes to continue to feast on Texas' pitchers and complete a sweep when they host the Rangers on Wednesday afternoon for the finale of the three-game series.
The Athletics scored a total of nine runs in a five-game span before outscoring Texas 17-6 over the first two contests of the series. Marcus Semien, Ramon Laureano and Josh Phegley recorded two RBIs apiece while Stephen Piscotty went 4-for-5 and scored three times as every batter in the lineup notched at least one hit in Oakland's 11-5 triumph on Tuesday. Piscotty has gone 6-for-8 in the set thus far and 10-for-19 during his five-game hitting streak. Joey Gallo recorded his sixth multi-hit performance in eight games by going 3-for-4 on Tuesday as the Rangers matched Oakland with 14 hits but allowed double digits in runs for the second time in three contests.
TV: 3:37 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Kyle Dowdy (1-0, 3.48 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Aaron Brooks (2-2, 5.32)
Dowdy will make his first career start after beginning his debut season in the major leagues with four relief appearances. The 25-year-old Californian hasn't been very impressive thus far, yielding five runs - four earned - on seven hits and six walks over 10 1/3 innings. Dowdy is no stranger to opening a contest as he started 58 of his 78 games in the minor leagues over three years before beginning 2019 with Texas.
Brooks has alternated wins and losses over his four starts this season after surrendering five runs and six hits over five innings in a setback against Toronto on Friday. The 28-year-old, who also hails from the Golden State, has given up 13 runs over 16 frames in his last three turns after working six scoreless innings versus Boston in his season debut. Brooks, who split his previous two starts at home this year after allowing five runs over 11 frames, will be facing Texas for the first time in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas' starting pitchers have surrendered 21 earned runs over 22 2/3 innings in the team's last five games.
2. Oakland RHP Marco Estrada (back), who is on the 10-day injured list, underwent a minimally invasive procedure on Tuesday and is out indefinitely.
3. The Rangers placed LHP Drew Smyly (arm), who was scheduled to start the series finale, on the 10-day injured list and recalled RHP Wei-Chieh Huang from Triple-A Frisco.