Blue Jays at Rangers
The Texas Rangers finally got in the win column during their five-game homestand and look to wrap it up with another triumph when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series. Texas began its string of home contests with three losses before posting an 8-5 victory on Saturday.
The bottom of the Rangers' batting order was instrumental in the win as No. 9 hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in four runs while Logan Forsythe, who batted eighth, plated a pair. Forsythe has registered eight RBIs in his last five games and 13 of his 16 on the season over his last 12 contests. The Blue Jays had seven players in their lineup record a hit but were unable to take advantage as they lost for the fourth time in five games. Toronto phenom Vladimir Guerrero Jr. notched his first career RBI with a first-inning single but is batting .192 despite registering a hit in five of his first seven major-league contests.
TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, OMNI (Toronto), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Clay Buchholz (0-1, 4.79 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Drew Smyly (0-2, 7.80)
Buchholz remains in search of the first victory of his initial season with Toronto after giving up three runs and six hits in five innings of a no-decision on the road against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Texan has yielded at least three runs in each of his last three turns after allowing one over six frames versus Tampa Bay on April 13 in his season debut - the only outing in which he worked more than five innings. Buchholz is 1-6 with a 4.40 ERA in eight starts versus Texas.
Smyly is expected to be activated from the injured list, where he has been since April 20 with a fatigued arm, and make his fifth start of the year as he also is seeking his first win of 2019. The 29-year-old native of Arkansas has surrendered four runs in each of his last three turns, including a loss to Houston on April 19 in which he yielded five hits and three walks. Smyly is 4-2 with one shutout and a 2.76 ERA in seven starts and three relief appearances against Toronto in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers have won only five of their last 14 games, scoring a total of 57 runs in the victories.
2. Toronto OF Randal Grichuk went 0-for-3 on Saturday, ending his seven-game hitting streak, while Texas OF Shin-Soo Choo's stretch ended at eight games following an 0-for-4 performance.
3. Forsythe has gone 10-for-20 over his last five games.