Rangers at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics rolled through the first three weeks of July but have run into a wall of late, losing four of their last five contests. Oakland looks to right the ship on Friday as it hosts the Texas Rangers for the second contest of their four-game series.
The Athletics won 11 of their first 14 games this month to climb into a wild-card spot in the American League but went 3-4 on their key seven-game road trip against division leaders Minnesota and Houston, dropping three of the final four contests. The struggles continued on Thursday as they scored three runs in the first inning of the series opener versus Texas before falling apart in an 11-3 setback. Danny Santana led the charge for the Rangers, delivering a two-run double during a five-run fifth inning before belting his first career grand slam in a five-run sixth. Santana finished a triple shy of the cycle as he recorded his fourth multi-hit performance during the team's 10-game road trip while Asdrubal Cabrera went 3-for-4 with an RBI as Texas improved to 2-5 on its trek.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Lance Lynn (12-6, 3.93 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (5-1, 4.65)
Lynn, who is looking to work at least six innings for the 17th consecutive time, has lost back-to-back starts after winning five in a row. The 32-year-old native of Indiana registered a season-high 12 strikeouts at Houston on Sunday but yielded four runs and seven hits in seven frames. Lynn made his first two career starts against the Athletics earlier this season, including a setback at Oakland on April 23 in which he was battered for eight runs and nine hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Mengden has gone 5-0 in seven starts and two relief appearances since losing his season debut against Cleveland on May 12. The 26-year-old Texan kept his unbeaten streak alive on Sunday as he escaped with a no-decision at Minnesota despite yielding four runs on six hits and a season high-tying five walks in 3 1/3 innings. Mengden has made five career starts against Texas, going 1-3 with a 4.61 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers placed All-Star Joey Gallo on the 10-day injured list on Thursday after he underwent wrist surgery earlier in the day that will sideline him for at least four weeks and recalled fellow OF Willie Calhoun from Triple-A Nashville.
2. Oakland OF Ramon Laureano recorded one of his team's three hits on Thursday, a two-run single in the first inning that gave him at least one hit in nine of his last 11 contests.
3. Texas designated Kyle Dowdy for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for fellow RHP Shane Carle, who was acquired from Atlanta for cash considerations.