Orioles at Rangers
Ivan Rodriguez is going into the Hall of Fame and the staff ace is on the trade block, but all eyes in the Texas Rangers organization on Sunday will be on Adrian Beltre. The veteran third baseman will try to record his 3,000th career hit when the Rangers host the Baltimore Orioles for the rubber match of their three-game series.
Beltre is bidding to become the 31st player in major-league history - and the first Dominican-born player - to reach 3,000 hits and got to 2,999 with a single in Saturday's 4-0 loss after notching a pair of hits in the series opener. "I don't think (a celebration) is going to happen," Beltre told reporters before Saturday's game regarding his expectations for the milestone. "I don't know, I can't control that. I haven't talked to anybody about it. I'm a rookie on this kind of stuff." The Orioles are just focused on winning games and returning to the American League East race, and the recent acquisition of right-hander Jeremy Hellickson was the signal that the front office believes in the team as well. Wade Miley will take the mound for Baltimore on Sunday, while Texas counters with Martin Perez.
TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wade Miley (4-9, 5.69 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (5-8, 4.67)
Miley has been getting roughed up of late as he's surrendered a total of 17 runs and 21 hits over 15 2/3 innings in his last three starts. The Louisiana native has allowed at least four earned runs in eight of his last 10 outings and yielded five runs in as many frames against Texas on July 20. Beltre is 6-for-21 lifetime with a home run and four RBIs against Miley.
Perez took the loss in each of his last two turns, although he was solid against Miami on Monday, allowing three runs and seven hits in seven innings. The Venezuelan has surrendered three earned runs or fewer in five of his last seven outings despite registering only 23 strikeouts in that span. One of the two poor starts in that stretch came at Baltimore on July 19, when Perez was reached for five runs in six frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Beltre will become the third primary third baseman (Wade Boggs and George Brett) to reach the 3,000-hit mark.
2. Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop has scored 12 runs in his last 11 games.
3. Hellickson was delayed in joining Baltimore after getting rear-ended on his way to the airport.