Rangers at Royals
Veterans Adrian Beltre and Cole Hamels look to continue hot streaks when their Texas Rangers go after a fifth victory in six games Saturday against the host Kansas City Royals. Beltre homered for the third time in four contests as the Rangers rallied for a 5-3 victory in the opener of a three-game series Friday and Hamels attempts to remain unbeaten in his eight starts of the season.
Beltre has knocked in eight runs, pushing his career total to 1,601, and walked three times in the last four contests while Mike Napoli also homered Friday to give him five blasts in his last eight outings for Texas. Hamels gave up five hits combined in two wins before the All-Star break and tries to keep the Rangers surging against the suddenly slumping Royals, who send fellow left-hander Danny Duffy to the mound. Kansas City has lost four straight games after winning six of seven to push itself back into the American League playoff chase, and coughed up an early 3-0 lead in Friday’s setback. Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer had a single in the series opener to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, in which he is 25-for-64.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Cole Hamels (4-0, 3.51 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (5-5, 3.76)
Hamels allowed three hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels last Friday to win for the fourth time in five starts. That stretch began with eight innings of one-run ball in a win against Kansas City and the 33-year-old yielded six runs total in his four triumphs. Cheslor Cuthbert is 4-for-8 against Hamels, who is 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA lifetime versus the Royals.
Duffy gave up five runs on six hits while striking out nine in seven innings to take the loss last time out against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 28-year-old California native had won three of his previous four starts, permitting four runs combined in the trio of victories. Napoli is 4-for-6 with a pair of homers versus Duffy, who pitched 7 1/3 scoreless frames during a no-decision against Texas on April 20.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals All-Star C Salvador Perez went 0-for-4 in the series opener to end his eight-game hitting streak.
2. Texas OF Nomar Mazara is 5-for-15 with a homer and four RBIs during a four-game hitting streak.
3. Kansas City’s Neftali Feliz was placed on the paternity list Friday and fellow RHP Miguel Almonte was recalled to take his place.