Royals at Rangers
The Texas Rangers look to improve upon their poor play in their own ballpark as they kick off a seven-game homestand Monday with the opener of a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals. Texas is a major league-worst 3-9 at home, winning only one of its last seven contests at Globe Life Park.
The Rangers return to Arlington on the heels of a successful 5-2 road trip that concluded with a 2-1 triumph at Tampa Bay on Sunday. Texas will need better offensive production against Kansas City after scoring just two runs in each of its last three games. The Royals continue a seven-game trek that began with a three-game set at Detroit in which the visitors captured two of three. Kansas City posted a 2-1 triumph in 10 innings on Sunday as former Tiger Omar Infante plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly while Jason Frasor and Greg Holland escaped bases-loaded jams in the ninth and 10th frames, respectively.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (2-1, 4.55 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Colby Lewis (2-2, 2.61)
Duffy received a quick hook against Cleveland on Wednesday, when he surrendered four runs and six hits while retiring only three batters en route to the loss. That outing ended a superb three-start stretch for the 26-year-old, who allowed a total of three earned runs over 17 1/3 innings in that span but picked up just one victory. Duffy had made two career starts versus Texas without receiving a decision, as he has yielded a total of five runs on nine hits and seven walks with eight strikeouts in 10 frames.
Lewis finally was rewarded for a strong outing on Wednesday when he notched the victory at Houston after limiting the Astros to one run over eight innings. The 35-year-old went 0-2 over his previous three starts - including a scoreless six-inning performance versus Oakland on May 1 - despite yielding a total of five runs in 16 2/3 frames. Lewis has not fared well against Kansas City in his career, going 1-4 with a 6.35 ERA in seven games (six starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers have allowed seven runs in each of their last three home games.
2. Kansas City 1B Eric Hosmer is 4-for-10 with four RBIs against Lewis.
3. Texas OF Josh Hamilton, who underwent shoulder surgery in February, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday and went 1-for-3.