Rangers at Braves (Game 2)
Only one team in baseball has slugged more homers than the Texas Rangers, who will get plenty of opportunities to smash longballs heading into a day-night doubleheader Wednesday at the struggling Atlanta Braves. The middle contest of the three-game interleague series was postponed due to rain Tuesday, one night after the Rangers hit three homers in an 8-2 victory to reach 215 - matching their 2016 total - and they trail only Baltimore (216) this year.
The Rangers enter Wednesday’s doubleheader above .500 (69-68) for the first time since Aug. 24 and just the second time in the past 60 games dating back to June 28, as Texas chases the final American League wild-card spot. Shortstop Elvis Andrus has three homers in his past two games for the Rangers and is tied for fifth in longballs at his position, while leading all shortstops in doubles (37) and RBIs (77). Atlanta has turned its focus toward 2018, deploying several impressive rookies into its lineup despite losing 31 of its past 46 contests. Second baseman Ozzie Albies is hitting .362 in his past 18 contests, while shortstop Dansby Swanson is batting .373 in his past 24 games.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Cole Hamels (9-2, 3.92 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (9-11, 4.75)
Hamels won his first four starts in August but has struggled in his past two outings, going 0-1 with 10 runs allowed on 14 hits in 9 1/3 innings. The 33-year-old did not get a decision on Friday in his last start, allowing four runs on five hits in five innings against the Los Angeles Angels, after surrendering six runs on nine hits in just 4 1/3 frames Aug. 26 in a loss at Oakland. Hamels saw the Braves plenty in his 10 years with the Phillies, going 16-9 with a 3.11 ERA in 36 career games (35 starts), and pitched the first part of a combined no-hitter against Atlanta in 2014.
Teheran originally was to pitch Tuesday’s middle game of the series, but the Braves pushed him back a day before the rainout. He makes his 28th start of the season after an August during which he posted his second-best ERA in a month (3.65) in 2017. Teheran closed the month with two excellent starts in a row, surrendering one run on five hits with eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings Wednesday at Philadelphia, five days after beating Colorado at home with 7 1/3 innings of two-run, five-hit pitching.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas scored eight-plus runs Monday for the fourth time in the past seven contests.
2. Since reaching .500 at 45-45 on July 16, Atlanta has posted a 5.13 ERA.
3. The Rangers are 13-5 in interleague play this season.