Orioles at Rangers
Despite a furious rally, the Texas Rangers suffered their second loss in the last seven games in a series opener with the visiting Baltimore Orioles. The teams will try to muster up some energy following the Orioles' wild 12-11 triumph when they play the second of three straight in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday.
Baltimore had an early 9-2 lead and - on the strength of three Pedro Severino home runs - carried a 12-5 advantage into the bottom of the ninth before surviving the Rangers' six-run outburst. Dwight Smith Jr. also went deep for the Orioles while driving in a career-high six runs to pace a 15-hit attack. Shin-Soo Choo homered and singled for Texas and is 11-for-28 with six RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak. The pitching matchup Wednesday features a pair of lefties with sub-3.00 ERAs as Baltimore's John Means takes on Mike Minor for Texas.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH John Means (5-4, 2.80 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Mike Minor (5-4, 2.74)
Means bounced back from a pair of so-so outings to spin six innings of one-run ball against Detroit last Wednesday. He struck out a career-high seven batters in the no-decision without issuing a walk and yielding only three hits. The 26-year-old, who has never faced the Rangers, owns a 4.26 ERA on the road - compared to 1.53 at home.
Minor allowed three runs and a season high-tying eight hits in five innings in a loss to Kansas City his last time out. Prior to that outing at Globe Life Park, the 31-year-old enjoyed a stretch at home in which he yielded two runs over 30 innings across four stellar starts. He is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in five career games (two starts) against the Orioles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Choo has reached base safely in 25 straight home games.
2. Severino has eight home runs in 35 games this year after hitting a total of four in 105 games over parts of four seasons in Washington.
3. Texas placed RHP Kyle Dowdy (elbow) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday and recalled LHP Brett Martin from Triple-A Nashville.