Rangers at Athletics
All it took was one big inning for the Oakland Athletics to put an end to their four-game losing streak. Oakland attempts to win consecutive games for the second time this season when it hosts the Texas Rangers for the rubber match of their three-game series on Wednesday.
The Athletics, who posted back-to-back victories at Kansas City early last week, allowed two runs in the top of the sixth inning on Tuesday before staging a four-run rally in the bottom of the frame that was highlighted by Adam Rosales' two-run homer. The loss was the fourth in five contests for Texas, which took two of three from Oakland at home from April 7-9. Elvis Andrus, who overtook Ruben Sierra for fifth place on the Rangers' all-time hits list in the series opener, recorded two of the Rangers' three hits on Tuesday and drove in a run. Nomar Mazara also recorded an RBI but was held without a hit for just the fourth time in 14 games this season.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (1-1, 2.20 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jesse Hahn (0-1, 3.75)
Perez has allowed only four runs over 16 1/3 innings in his first three starts of the season but has just one victory to show for his efforts. The 26-year-old Venezuelan, who has recorded 14 strikeouts but issued 11 walks, settled for a no-decision at Seattle on Friday after giving up one run in five frames. Perez defeated Oakland on April 9 to improve to 6-5 with one shutout and a 4.79 ERA in 13 career turns against the Athletics.
Hahn made his first start of the year on Thursday, taking the loss after yielding three runs and six hits in six innings at Kansas City. The 27-year-old native of Connecticut made his season debut at Texas on April 7 and gave up two runs and seven hits over six frames of relief. Prior to that appearance, Hahn went 0-1 with a 5.51 ERA in three career starts versus the Rangers.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Athletics are expected to summon RHP Cesar Valdez from Triple-A Nashville to make a spot start against Seattle on Thursday.
2. Mazara has driven in a run in three straight games and has collected eight RBIs over the first eight contests of Texas' nine-game road trip.
3. Oakland RHP Sonny Gray (right lat) is slated to begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Single-A Stockton and could make his season debut in two weeks.