Rangers at Indians
The Cleveland Indians hope to get better pitching than they did in their last series when they host the last-place Texas Rangers on Monday for the opener of their three-game set. The Indians gave up 32 runs - 22 in the final two games - while losing three of four against Seattle and will send Trevor Bauer to the mound to try to turn around their fortunes.
Cleveland yielded five runs in the second inning en route to Sunday's 10-4 loss, and the bullpen surrendered 11 over the last two contests with All-Star Andrew Miller (hamstring) on the disabled list. Bauer, who owns the second-best ERA among Indians starters, will face Cole Hamels in the series opener as Texas seeks its fourth win in five games. The Rangers saw their season-high three-game winning streak come to an end Sunday with a 7-2 loss at Toronto but has been much better on the road (7-6) than at home (4-12) in the early going. Delino DeShields went 4-for-12 with two doubles and a walk in the series against the Blue Jays to raise his average to .229.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Cole Hamels (1-4, 4.41 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (2-2, 2.41)
Hamels is winless in his last four trips to the mound but has not had much offensive support all season (15 runs in six starts). The 34-year-old native of San Diego allowed two runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts across 6 1/3 innings in a loss to Oakland on Tuesday. Jose Ramirez is 5-for-11 with a double and Edwin Encarnacion has homered versus Hamels, who is 1-2 with a 6.11 ERA in six career games against the Indians.
Bauer goes after his fifth straight quality start and 50th career victory after yielding seven runs over 28 2/3 innings in his last four outings. The 27-year-old UCLA product gave up one run and four hits with a season-high eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 frames to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Wednesday. Bauer, who is 1-0 with a 3.67 ERA in four career games against Texas, has handled Nomar Mazara (0-for-6, one strikeout) in a small sample.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas rookie INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games after recording his third double on Sunday.
2. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley is 8-for-19 during his five-game hitting streak, raising his average to .348.
3. The Indians won six of their seven meetings with the Rangers last season, including three of four at home.