Mariners at Rangers
Nick Solak made his major-league debut less than two weeks ago and has been with the Texas Rangers' organization less than two months, yet he already has left an indelible impression on the club. The University of Louisville product hopes to remain locked in at the plate on Saturday, when the Rangers host the Seattle Mariners for the third contest of their four-game series.
Acquired in mid-July from Tampa Bay, Solak doubled in his first at-bat Friday to extend his on-base streak to 12 games - the longest such run for a player to begin his career in team history - even though his batting average (.361) and on-base percentage (.465) dropped as a result of his 1-for-4 effort. Fellow rookies Jose Trevino (3-for-3, two doubles, two RBIs) and Kolby Allard (two runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings) also starred for Texas, which improved to 8-16 over its last 24 contests following Friday's 6-3 win. The Mariners have dropped four of five following a 6-2 stretch, although the one victory came after they scored two runs in the ninth inning in Thursday's 5-3 triumph. Mallex Smith finished with three hits on Friday and is 5-for-8 with two walks and three runs halfway through this series.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Tommy Milone (3-8, 5.08 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Brock Burke (0-1, 0.75)
Seattle has yet to announce who will start on Saturday, but the club intends to use an opener before turning it over to Milone. The USC product has followed an opener 12 times this season, going 2-5 with a 5.22 ERA in that role after surrendering five runs - including three homers - over five innings against the New York Yankees on Monday. Rougned Odor is 4-for-11 with two homers versus Milone, who has given up 10 runs over 16 2/3 frames in three starts against Texas this season.
Burke is the first pitcher in team history to allow fewer than two runs in each of his first two career outings, even though he doesn't have a win to show for his efforts and suffered a loss in Chicago on Sunday despite limiting the White Sox to one run over six innings. The 23-year-old settled for a no-decision in his major-league debut five days earlier, permitting four hits and two walks in six scoreless frames versus the Los Angeles Angels. Right-handed hitters are batting only .118 against Burke, who will be facing Seattle for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners 3B Kyle Seager singled twice in four at-bats on Friday to remain one extra-base hit shy of tying Ichiro Suzuki (473) for the fourth-most in club history.
2. Odor's second-inning RBI double plated Solak and snapped an 0-for-28 slump.
3. With his next walk, DH Daniel Vogelbach will become the first Mariner with 80 in a season since Richie Sexson (89 in 2005).