Rangers at Indians (Game 1)
The Texas Rangers still have a ways to go before contending for an American League wild card spot is realistic, but they can build a season-high winning streak Wednesday in a single-admission doubleheader against the host Cleveland Indians. The Rangers have won five in a row after taking the series opener 1-0 on Monday, before inclement weather postponed Tuesday’s scheduled contest.
Nomar Mazara extended his hitting streak to eight contests (13-for-30, two homers, six RBIs) with a single Monday while knocking in the only run with a sacrifice fly as Texas moved within a win of its best run of the season (six) from June 22-28. “We didn’t know what was going to happen, so now that the (trade) deadline is in the past, we know this is the team we’re going to have,” Rangers pitcher Mike Minor told reporters after earning the win Monday. “Before, we thought some guys would be gone, but since then, we kind of came together a little more and we’re just going out to play baseball.” The AL wild card-leading Indians were 16-5 over the previous 21 games thanks in part to a productive offense, but left eight on base and were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in Monday’s setback. Jason Kipnis extended his hitting streak to six games (9-for-23, three homers, nine RBIs) with a single in the series opener for Cleveland.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Southwest (Texas), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Ariel Jurado (6-6, 4.92 ERA) vs. Indians RH Zach Plesac (6-3, 3.41)
Jurado has managed just one victory in his last six outings after giving up four runs (three earned) over four innings in a no-decision last Tuesday against Seattle. The 23-year-old Panama native earned his only win during the rough stretch on July 25 when he limited Oakland to three runs on three hits over seven innings. Yasiel Puig is 2-for-2 versus Jurado, who faces Cleveland for the first time and is 4-2 with a 4.34 ERA on the road in 2019.
Plesac has won three straight starts after limiting AL-best Houston to four runs on six hits and three walks over five innings of a 10-4 victory last Wednesday. The 24-year-old Ball State product gave up three runs (two earned) across 16 innings in his previous three outings, but has served up 11 homers in 12 starts overall. Rougned Odor belted a homer June 18 in Texas for the only run versus Plesac, who gave up two hits over seven innings in the win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland placed OF Jordan Luplow (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list and recalled OF Greg Allen on Tuesday.
2. Texas SS Elvis Andrus had a pair of hits in the series opener and is batting .370 with 41 RBIs in 72 career games against the Indians.
3. Puig had two hits in the series opener and is 6-for-18 with two doubles, two stolen bases and two RBIs in five games since being acquired.