Rangers at Blue Jays
Instead of allowing Josh Donaldson or Troy Tulowitzki to get all the glory in their first game back in over a month, Devon Travis stole the stage yet again in what is becoming a May to remember for the 26-year-old second baseman. Coming off one of the best games of his three-year major-league career, Travis looks to extend his hitting streak to 11 games Saturday when the resurgent Toronto Blue Jays continue their three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers.
Donaldson doubled in his first game back Friday since missing 39 contests with a calf injury, while Tulowitzki reached base three times following a 32-game absence, but it was Travis' second-inning gram slam as part of his 10th multi-hit game in May that helped propel Toronto to its fourth straight victory. The Blue Jays are 16-9 since their dreadful 6-17 start and Travis has been a big part of that turnaround with a huge month, batting .372 with three homers and 15 RBIs (.130, one home run and four RBIs in April). Rougned Odor delivered a three-run blast in the ninth to make things interesting in the opener, but even his first homer in 19 games wasn't enough for Texas to avoid its 16th defeat in its last 22 road games. The Rangers' continued road woes have erased most of the momentum their 10-game winning streak from May 9-19 created, as they are only 1-5 since and dropped four in a row.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Southwest (Texas), TVAS, Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yu Darvish (5-2, 2.83 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (3-2, 3.30)
Darvish worked around trouble for most of Sunday at Detroit en route to collecting his fourth straight win after giving up two runs on five hits and four walks in a season-low five frames. Despite the somewhat lackluster 105-pitch outing, the three-time All-Star is 4-0 with a 2.53 ERA over his last six outings. Jose Bautista (1-for-18), Donaldson (4-for-18), Kendrys Morales (3-for-28) and Justin Smoak (3-for-19) have combined for no homers and 35 strikeouts in 83 at-bats against Darvish, who is 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in seven regular-season starts against the Blue Jays.
Estrada was masterful in Sunday's 3-1 victory at Baltimore, permitting one run on five hits while matching a career high with 12 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old has allowed at least one homer in four straight outings, but he is 1-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four home turns this season and is holding left-handed hitters to a .210 average overall. Estrada did not factor into the decision in either of his two starts against Texas last season, posting a 3.75 ERA despite limiting the Rangers to a .159 average.
WALK-OFFS
1. After notching two more extra-base hits in the opener, Travis leads the majors with 18 this month - breaking his tie with Aaron Hill (16; 2009) for the club record in a month by a second baseman.
2. Texas' .220 batting average away from home is the second-lowest such mark in the majors.
3. With three more homers Friday, Toronto has slugged 39 over its last 23 games after hitting 22 over its first 25 contests.