Rangers at Rays
Adrian Beltre’s big effort could be the springboard to another hot stretch as his Texas Rangers visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set. Beltre, who cooled off for three games after recording multiple hits in seven of eight contests, launched a pair of home runs during Friday’s 6-2 victory in the series opener.
Beltre’s two blasts tied him with two former Rangers – Juan Gonzalez and Andruw Jones – for 45th place on the all-time list with 434 homers. The veteran third baseman is 1-for-6 with a homer and three walks against Tampa Bay’s scheduled starter Jake Odorizzi, who is 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break and 2-0 versus American League West-leading Texas in three career outings. The Rays saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Friday after being held without a hit for 5 2/3 innings. Evan Longoria registered his 12th RBI in nine games in the series opener and is 15-for-37 during that span.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH A.J. Griffin (5-2, 4.68 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (7-5, 3.72)
Griffin struggled in his last two starts, allowing 11 runs and 18 hits over 11 1/3 innings after a trio of outings in which he gave up a total of six runs. The 28-year-old Californian has been taken deep at least once in 10 straight games and has yielded seven blasts in his last three contests. Brad Miller is 1-for-3 with a homer versus Griffin, who is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two career appearances against the Rays.
Odorizzi won his fourth straight decision last time out, limiting the New York Yankees to three runs and five hits over six innings. The 26-year-old Illinois native has recorded 33 strikeouts and just seven walks in 38 innings since the All-Star break but gave up three homers in his last two starts. Odorizzi permitted one run over 6 2/3 innings last season against Texas but did not receive a decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe (back spasms) missed his third straight game and CF Kevin Kiermaier (left hip tightness) left in the second inning Friday.
2. Texas CF Ian Desmond is 8-for-22 with four RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.
3. Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. was in a 1-for-23 slump before belting a home run in the eighth inning of the series opener.