Rangers at Nationals
With their bats finally emerging from a slumber, the Washington Nationals look to register back-to-back wins for the first time since May 14-16 when they host the Texas Rangers in the second of a three-game interleague set. The Nationals beat up on the Rangers 9-2 in the series opener behind their second straight 15-hit game, a welcome respite after scoring 14 runs in a six-game stretch. Jayson Werth drove in his fifth run this month and is 8-for-20 in his last four games.
The Rangers were due for a clunker after winning six of their first eight on their current 11-game road swing and hope to bounce back against Washington's Doug Fister, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Detroit Tigers. Alex Rios had his 12-game hitting streak snapped in the series opener, but Adrian Beltre remained hot with three more hits and is batting .426 over his last 12. Texas dropped to 3-5 in interleague play this season and 4-6 all time versus Washington.
TV: 12:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Tepesch (2-0, 2.95 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Doug Fister (2-1, 3.42)
Tepesch has turned in three straight solid outings since he was promoted from Triple-A Round Rock, allowing a combined six runs over 18 1/3 innings. He went a season-high 6 2/3 innings at Minnesota last time out, giving up two runs on seven hits. The 25-year-old Tepesch made 19 appearances (17 starts) as a rookie in 2013, but failed to go past four innings in two of his three interleague starts.
Fister was rocked for seven runs (five earned) over 4 1/3 innings in his season debut at Oakland on May 9 but has bounced back with three strong performances. He limited Pittsburgh to one run over 5 1/3 innings last time out after going seven innings in each of his previous two starts. Fister has struggled against the Rangers in his career, logging a 3-4 record with a 5.67 ERA and .307 batting average against in nine starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rios is 10-for-19 and Beltre is 8-for-20 against Fister.
2. Nationals CF Denard Span had three hits Friday to boost his career average to .321 against Texas.
3. Rangers ace Yu Darvish (neck) threw a side session Friday and is expected to start in Sunday's series finale.