Rangers at Reds
With a showdown against another American League heavyweight looming, the Texas Rangers will try to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat when they wrap up a two-game interleague series at the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. The Rangers were blanked for the third time in nine games with Tuesday's 3-0 loss and have been outscored 19-6 during the three-game skid.
Texas will send Yu Darvish to the mound Wednesday before kicking off a 10-game homestand with a four contests against AL Central-leading Cleveland. Carlos Beltran is mired in an 0-for-20 swoon over his last five games for the Rangers, who are 9-12 on the road since the All-Star break. While the Reds are bringing up the rear in the NL Central, they have lost only two of 11 series (8-2-1) in the second half. First baseman Joey Votto is 9-for-16 with 11 RBIs over the last five games after collecting two hits and driving in a pair of runs in Tuesday's win.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yu Darvish (4-3, 2.75 ERA) vs. Reds RH Tim Adleman (2-1, 2.96)
Darvish turned in his sixth consecutive quality start and won his second in a row with seven strong innings against Oakland last time out, striking out nine while allowing two runs and eight hits. The Japan native has yielded four earned runs over a three-start unbeaten streak but he remains in search of his first victory on the road. Darvish has made four starts away from home, logging an 0-3 record despite a 2.66 ERA.
Adleman made an impressive return to the rotation in his first start in exactly three months. Recalled from Triple-A Louisville when Michael Lorenzen went on the bereavement list, Adleman blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers on five hits over five innings on Friday to pick up his second major-league victory and earn another start. He's 2-0 with a 2.03 in three home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Votto is batting .438 in August and is bidding to become the first Cincinnati player in more than 100 years to hit above .400 in back-to-back months.
2. Rangers OF Josh Hamilton, who had season-ending knee surgery in June, was placed on unconditional release waivers Tuesday.
3. Reds 2B Jose Peraza is 11-for-19 in four games since he was called up from the minors.