Rangers at Rays
After losing 16 of their first 24 games, the Texas Rangers are starting to show signs of life. The Rangers have won four straight games entering Friday's date with the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of a four-game road series.
Texas swept first-place Houston this week and then notched a 5-4 triumph on Thursday in the series opener against Tampa Bay. Elvis Andrus drove in two runs and Kyle Blanks recorded a pair of hits for the visitors. The Rangers will turn to Yovani Gallardo, who has lost each of his last three starts. The Rays counter with Nathan Karns, who has given up two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five outings.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yovani Gallardo (2-4, 4.05 ERA) vs. Rays RH Nathan Karns (1-1, 4.05)
Gallardo has not won since April 17 despite allowing three earned runs in each of his last three outings. He has not received much run support of late, as the Rangers have scored one run in each of his last two starts. One concern for Gallardo may be his recent control, as he has walked seven over his last two starts after walking a total of five in his first four outings.
Karns allowed two hits over five scoreless innings against Baltimore his last time out. He is holding opponents to a .181 batting average this season, including a .158 mark against lefties. This is the first career start against the Rangers for Karns, who has never faced any player on the Texas roster.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays OF David DeJesus has a .412 lifetime on-base percentage against Gallardo, going 4-for-14 with two doubles, a home run and three walks versus the Mexican right-hander.
2. Rangers rookie 2B Roughned Odor went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Thursday and is hitting .144 on the season.
3. Tampa Bay has lost four of its last six games and has gone 12 straight games without scoring more than five runs.