Tigers at Rangers
The Texas Rangers haven't tasted victory nearly enough since their last series against the Detroit Tigers, resulting in a precipitous reversal of fortune for a team that was leading the American League wild-card race just over a month ago. The Rangers attempt to guarantee themselves their first series win since sweeping Detroit in late June when they host the Tigers on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set.
Texas (55-54) improved to 6-0-3 in its last nine series following a three-game sweep of Detroit from June 27-29 but has fallen on hard times since, going 0-6-3 in series play while losing 18 of 26 contests at one point. The Rangers ended that stretch with a 9-7 triumph against Seattle on Wednesday and had to sweat through a late-game rally by the Tigers on Friday before settling for a 5-4 victory to remain seven games behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card. While Texas might be showing signs of snapping out of its malaise, Detroit (32-73) owns the worst record in baseball and has not won consecutive games since a three-game run to end May. The Tigers had a chance to snag their third victory in four contests overall on Friday with two runs in the ninth inning, but Jeimer Candelario grounded out with the bases loaded to end the threat.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (6-8, 3.94 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Adrian Sampson (6-8, 5.32)
Boyd is winless in his last four starts following a no-decision at Seattle on Sunday in which he registered 10 strikeouts while yielding one run on three hits and three walks over 6 1/3 innings. The Oregon State product ranks sixth in the majors with 178 strikeouts, registering at least 10 in four of his last six outings. Elvis Andrus (6-for-16) is one of the few Rangers that has enjoyed any success versus Boyd, who took the loss June 26 against Texas despite striking out 11 batters after giving up four runs - three homers - in seven frames.
Sampson's road struggles continued in Oakland last Saturday as he was pounded for five runs and six hits - four homers - over six innings. The 27-year-old has lost each of his last four turns at home, where he is 5-2 with a 3.36 ERA (as opposed to 1-6, 7.91 on the road). Sampson, who never has started against Detroit, is 3-7 with a 6.32 ERA in 14 turns overall this year and tied for fourth in the AL with 24 home runs allowed despite working only 108 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers are 22-8 against the Tigers since the start of the 2015 campaign and clinched the season series for the fifth consecutive year with Friday's victory.
2. Detroit is 3-17 against AL West opponents this season and 3-26 in its last 29 contests versus teams from that division.
3. Texas RHP Jose Leclerc recorded his first save since April 17 in the series opener but has yielded four runs on four hits and five walks over 1 1/3 innings in his last two appearances.