Rangers at Orioles
The Texas Rangers will try to continue their impressive play on the road when they visit the struggling Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday in the third contest of a four-game series. Texas, which has won eight of its last nine away from home and the first two games in Baltimore, also is riding Adrian Beltre's hot bat. The 34-year-old third baseman went 4-for-4 with two home runs and a season-high five RBIs Tuesday and is hitting .488 with six blasts during an 11-game hitting streak.
Baltimore has lost five of its last six games, with the win an unexpected one as it beat Mariano Rivera and the New York Yankees on Sunday. The Orioles' cold spell has coincided with a slump by All-Star first baseman Chris Davis, who is hitting .313 and leads the majors with 33 home runs but is 1-for-21 (homer) with 12 strikeouts in his last six contests. Baltimore's pitching staff will receive a boost with the return of Wei-Yin Chen, who will make his first start since May 16 after recovering from a right oblique strain.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), MASN 2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Josh Lindblom (1-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (3-3, 3.04)
Lindblom, who is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in four starts, is coming off three relief appearances in which he allowed one hit and struck out six over 4 1/3 innings while earning a victory. The 26-year-old native of West Lafayette, Indiana last started against Oakland on June 20, when he allowed two runs and eight hits in five innings of Texas' 4-3 win. Lindblom, who spent the first three years of his career in the National League, never has faced the Orioles or any of their players.
Chen last pitched May 12, when he limited the Twins to five hits over five innings in a 6-0 victory at Minnesota. The 27-year-old Taiwan native's return to the rotation will force the Orioles into a roster move, which most likely will result in Zach Britton - Tuesday's starter - or rookie Kevin Gausman being sent down to Triple-A Norfolk. Chen has faced Texas once, allowing two runs (one earned) and six hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 6-5 victory last season in his sixth career outing.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles 3B Manny Machado has 123 hits, the most by a player younger than 22 years old prior to the All-Star break. Detroit Hall of Famer Al Kaline (122 in 1955) held the previous mark.
2. Beltre has 20 home runs. The last time he hit 20 or more prior to the All-Star break was in 2004, when he recorded 22 en route to a career-high 48.
3. The Rangers' 53-37 record after 90 games matches the 1996 team for second-best in club history to last season's 55-35.