Mariners at Rangers
The Seattle Mariners will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven contests when they visit the Texas Rangers for the finale of a two-game set between American League West rivals Wednesday night. Kyle Seager homered and knocked in four runs to increase his hitting streak to eight games as the Mariners took the series opener 8-5 on Tuesday to match their best winning run of the season from April 6-11.
Rookie Austin Nola had three hits and improved to 15-for-42 with seven RBIs over his last 13 games for Seattle while teammate Domingo Santana went deep for the second straight game to push his season total to 21. The Mariners will go with an opener to start before handing the ball to Wade LeBlanc on Wednesday and fellow left-hander Mike Minor is expected to take the hill for the Rangers if he is not dealt by the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. Texas was right in the hunt for a wild-card spot and 10 games over .500 at 46-36 a little over a month ago, but is 7-18 since while falling out of the race after losing its third consecutive contest on Tuesday. Danny Santana has been one of the bright spots for the Rangers during their swoon, going 26-for-67 with seven homers and 18 RBIs since the All-Star break after launching his 16th homer in the series opener to extend his career high.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners TBD vs. Rangers LH Mike Minor (8-6, 3.00)
LeBlanc (6-3, 4.79 ERA) is slated again to come on after an opener and did well in that role Thursday, allowing two runs (one earned) over six innings for the win. The 34-year-old LeBlanc, who followed righty Erik Swanson’s two hitless frames in the last outing, was winless in his previous four starts before that trip to the mound. Nomar Mazara is 5-for-11 with a homer versus LeBlanc, who gave up three runs over five innings in a no-decision against Texas on May 29.
Minor has struggled in his last four starts, going 0-2 with a 6.04 ERA, after starting the season 8-4, 2.40 in his first 18 outings of 2019. The 31-year-old Vanderbilt product, who has 136 strikeouts in 135 innings overall, has served up seven homers in the last three starts after permitting a total of 12 in his first 19 appearances this season. Daniel Vogelbach is 2-5 with a pair of homers against Minor, who is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in three starts versus the Mariners this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mazara is 11-for-24 with two homers, eight runs scored and four RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.
2. Seattle OF Keon Broxton went 1-for-5 in his debut with the team after being claimed on waivers from Baltimore.
3. Texas traded RHP Chris Martin to the Atlanta Braves for LHP Kolby Allard, who is 7-5 with a 4.17 ERA at Triple-A Gwinnett this season.