Rangers at Rays
Left-hander Cole Hamels has pitched better on the road than at home and hopes that pattern continues for at least one more start when he takes the mound for the Texas Rangers in Wednesday's rubber match against the Tampa Bay Rays. The teams have traded lopsided victories in the series, with the Rays rolling to an 8-4 win Monday before Texas responded with a 7-2 rout 24 hours later.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa entered Tuesday's game 2-for-17 with nine strikeouts and poised to make his major league debut at shortstop for the Rangers with Jurickson Profar in the concussion protocol following a collision in the series opener. Kiner-Falefa doubled his season total with four hits and was in the middle of three double plays as Texas improved to 3-2 on its six-game road trip. Tampa Bay got big production from its own shortstop as Adeiny Hechavarria collected three hits Tuesday, but it wasn't enough to prevent the team from absorbing its American League-worst 13th defeat. C.J. Cron went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to seven games for the Rays, who are 2-7 at home.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Cole Hamels (1-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Faria (0-1, 8.18)
Hamels did not factor in the decision last time out at World Series champion Houston despite his first quality start of the season, tossing six innings of two-run ball. He is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts versus Tampa Bay, but was dominant in his lone appearance at Tropicana Field with 10 strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in August 2016. Hamels must be wary of Hechavarria, who is 11-for-29 against him.
Faria allowed only one run in four innings in his season debut versus Boston, but he was pummeled by the Red Sox in the rematch six days later, lasting 1 2/3 innings and getting rocked for eight runs. He rebounded with a strong effort last time out, shaving six runs off his ERA by limiting Philadelphia to one run on two hits while striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings. Faria is 3-2 with a 2.88 ERA in nine home appearances.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre needs five RBIs to tie Tony Perez for 30th (1,652) on the all-time list.
2. The Rays placed 3B Matt Duffy (hamstring strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
3. Rangers RHP Tony Barnette went on the 10-day DL due to right shoulder tightness.