Rangers at Tigers (1st)
After Friday night’s game was postponed because of rain, the visiting Rangers and Tigers resume their four-game series with a split doubleheader on Saturday. The Rangers’ Matt Harrison faces the Tigers’ Rick Porcello in the first game.
If the Rangers’ starting pitchers can maintain their hot start, the American
League West race could be over by the All-Star break. The Rangers
starters are 9-0 with a 2.37 ERA after Yu Darvish pitched into the
seventh inning Thursday, helping Texas cruise to a 10-3 victory over the
Detroit Tigers in the series opener. Texas has won seven straight and
own the majors’ best record at 11-2.
The Tigers were out-hit 19-5
in the opener, and they’ll likely need to double their output to keep
pace with Texas, which is batting .403 (50-for-124) with eight home runs
over its past three games. Detroit also needs to figure out a way to
slow down Mike Napoli, who is 9-for-18 with five homers and 10 RBIs in
his last four games.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Matt Harrison (2-0, 0.64 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Rick Porcello (1-0, 1.84 ERA)
Harrison
is pitching on seven days rest because the Rangers because of Friday's rainout and last Monday's off-day. Dating back to last season, he is 6-0 with a 2.01 ERA in his
last seven regular-season outings. Harrison, who has allowed just one
run in his two starts, is 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA in seven games against the
Tigers.
Porcello has gone at least seven innings in his first
two starts, including last Sunday against the White Sox when he allowed
just one run over 7 2/3 innings. In his two starts, he has induced 18
groundball outs and opponents are hitting just .226 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1.
Ivan Rodriguez, who is retiring after a 21-year career, will be honored
prior to Monday’s game against the New York Yankees in Arlington.
2. Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera is six RBIs away from becoming the 21st active player with 1,000 or more.
3. The Tigers have won 18 of their last 25 games against the Rangers at Comerica Park.