Following a long losing streak in mid-June, the Texas Rangers begin a three-game home series Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners as one of the hottest teams in baseball. Texas lost six in a row at home from June 11-16 – its longest such slide since 2005 – in large part due to a lack of production, as the club scored a total of eight runs. While the offense has done its part to help the Rangers go 10-3 since, the pitching staff has been particularly dominant over the last 11 contests (2.68 ERA).
While Texas will have a day to rest at home, the short-handed Mariners will spend their day off traveling after dropping two of three to the Chicago Cubs as they completed a 3-5 homestand. Outfielders Franklin Gutierrez and Michael Morse are on the disabled list, while Dustin Ackley and Michael Saunders have been limited due to finger injuries. Despite Sunday’s 7-6 loss, 41-year-old Raul Ibanez wrapped up a torrid month with his 10th homer in June – tied for the second-highest mark in the majors.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Seattle), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Joe Saunders (5-8, 4.98 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Justin Grimm (7-5, 5.56)
Saunders lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his last outing, surrendering six runs - including a season-high three homers - in last Tuesday’s 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The left-hander, who had allowed a total of seven earned runs over his previous five turns, has faced the Rangers three times this season and is 0-2 with a 7.02 ERA. He has struggled every bit as much in 14 career starts against Texas (3-9 with a 6.60 ERA) while going 0-7 with a 9.91 ERA in Rangers Ballpark.
Grimm has won his last two starts following a three-game stretch in which he went 0-2 with an 11.40 ERA. The 24-year-old yielded three runs and six hits over five frames in Wednesday’s 8-5 road victory over the New York Yankees. All three of Grimm’s career outings against the Mariners have come this season, during which time the former Boston Red Sox farmhand is 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas 1B Lance Berkman is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday after missing the previous four games with soreness in his right knee.
2. Seattle is the only team Grimm has beaten more than once in his career.
3. Saunders, who is 1-5 with a 6.46 ERA on the road this season, has allowed only one run in each of his last three outings away from home.
PREDICTION: Rangers 6, Mariners 3