Rangers at Mariners
Nelson Cruz is swinging a powerful bat for Seattle and strives to homer
in his sixth straight game when the Mariners open a three-game home
series against the Texas Rangers on Friday. The Rangers are familiar
with Cruz’s ability to smash homers as he hit 157 for them from 2006-13.
Cruz is now lumbering up for his new club and has six homers and nine RBIs over the past five games. “He's swinging the bat extremely well,” manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters. “He's slowing down, letting the ball travel, he's using the entire field to hit. He's doing a great job for us.” Texas has lost three of its last four games and allowed six or more runs in each of the defeats. The Rangers are allowing an average of 1.5 runs in their four victories and 7.5 in their six losses.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yovani Gallardo (1-1, 5.59 ERA) vs. Mariners LH J.A. Happ (0-0, 2.84)
Gallardo picked up his first win since joining Texas in his last start when he defeated the Houston Astros. He has allowed 14 hits in 9 2/3 innings through two starts with opposing hitters sporting a collective .318 batting average. Gallardo, who has never faced the Mariners, is 43-33 on the road in his career.
Happ received a no-decision in his Seattle debut when he allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings against Oakland. He made just two career starts at Safeco Field as a visiting player and went 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA. Happ is 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in two career outings against the Rangers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez (quadriceps) is expected to make his scheduled Saturday start.
2. Rangers RHP Neftali Feliz is 11-for-11 in save opportunities against Seattle and hasn’t allowed a run in 26 career innings against the Mariners.
3. Seattle OF Seth Smith (2-for-17) and 1B Logan Morrison (0-for-14) struggle against Gallardo.