Rangers at Diamondbacks
Nick Martinez hasn’t required much help from his offense while cruising to a pair of wins in his first two starts, but the Texas Rangers have given it to him anyway. The Rangers hope for another offensive outburst when they turn to their young right-hander again on Tuesday and try to end a two-game slide on the road in the opener of a two-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Texas, which has scored two runs or fewer five times over its first 13
contests, has tallied 18 of its 51 runs in games started by Martinez,
who has allowed one unearned run in his first 14 innings. The Rangers
could have used him Sunday in Seattle when they were unable to hold a
five-run seventh-inning lead and fell 11-10. After saying goodbye to red-hot Mariners cleanup hitter Nelson Cruz, Texas gets to face another
surging middle-of-the-order slugger in Paul Goldschmidt, who is tied
for the National League lead in homers (five) and paces it in RBIs (15).
The two-time All-Star first baseman extended his hitting streak to
seven games in Sunday’s 5-1 win at San Francisco, clubbing a two-run
home run to give the Diamondbacks their first winning road trip (4-3)
since last June.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Martinez (2-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (0-0, 4.09)
Martinez
worked seven innings without giving up an earned run for the second
time in as many turns, holding the Los Angeles Angels to five hits and
three walks in Tuesday’s 8-2 victory. The 24-year-old, who is holding
opposing hitters to a .191 average overall, has limited left-handed
batters to a .105 mark. Martinez is 5-5 with a 3.77 ERA in 18 career
road appearances (15 starts) as he faces the Diamondbacks for the first
time.
Anderson showed slight improvement over his April 10 season
debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but did not factor into the
decision for the second time in as many turns during Wednesday’s 3-2
loss at the San Diego Padres. The Texas native and Oklahoma alum yielded
two runs on eight hits and a walk over six frames during his 88-pitch
outing. Anderson made three interleague starts during his rookie year in
2014, going 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona CF
Ender Inciarte has reached base in 15 of his last 17 interleague
contests (with at least one plate appearance), hitting safely in 14
overall with an 11-game hitting streak.
2. Rangers pitchers are batting .150 in interleague play over the past five seasons – the highest for any American League team.
3. Diamondbacks starting pitchers lasted at least six innings in each game during their road trip.