Rangers at Diamondbacks
In case the Arizona Diamondbacks had forgotten, Prince Fielder reminded them why they were happy to see the slugger leave for the American League over three years ago. Hoping to build off his best offensive game of the season, the five-time All-Star will try to lead his Texas Rangers to a two-game road sweep of the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Fielder ended his season-opening 13-game homerless streak with a two-run
blast in the eighth inning of the Rangers’ series-opening 7-1 victory,
capping off a season-high three-RBI performance with his ninth multi-hit
effort of the campaign. The burly 30-year-old slugger, who had not
faced Arizona since he was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011
before Tuesday, has tormented the Diamondbacks throughout his career,
batting .303 with 11 home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 career games.
Wednesday’s scheduled starter Yovani Gallardo has been even better
against Arizona than his former Brewers’ teammate, going 7-0 with a 1.86
ERA in 10 career turns against them. Nevertheless, the Diamondbacks
will likely enter the contest with no shortage of confidence as rookie
Archie Bradley has outdueled Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner in
his first two career starts.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yovani Gallardo (2-1, 3.45 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Archie Bradley (1-0, 1.42)
Gallardo
induced 11 groundball outs and three double plays in his most
impressive showing of the season en route to Friday’s 3-1 victory at
Seattle. The 29-year-old ace, who yielded six singles and two walks over
six scoreless innings, did not surrender a homer for the first time in
three turns as a Ranger. Gallardo has thoroughly dominated the
Diamondbacks at Chase Field throughout his career, going 5-0 with a 1.93
ERA in six outings.
After becoming the first player in
major-league history to start opposite the reigning Cy Young Award
winner (Kershaw) and the World Series MVP (Bumgarner) in his first two
major-league games, Bradley faces yet another Opening Day starter. The
No. 7 overall pick of the 2011 draft permitted two runs in 6 2/3
innings in Thursday’s no-decision at San Francisco after holding the Los
Angeles Dodgers to one hit over six scoreless frames on April 11.
Bradley has allowed only three hits to the 32 left-handed hitters he has
faced while striking out nine.
WALK-OFFS
1. Fielder clubbed his first homer in Texas’ 14th game for the second straight season.
2.
The Diamondbacks on Tuesday placed 3B Jake Lamb (left foot stress reaction) on the
disabled list. Rookie Yasmany Tomas made his first
major-league start in his place in his place and went 2-for-3.
3.
The Rangers have scored 25 runs in three outings from Tuesday’s starter
(Nick Martinez) and 33 in their other 11 contests.