Padres at Rangers
The San Diego Padres have won just two of their last 10 games but try to win the three-game series against the host Texas Rangers with a triumph on Wednesday. San Diego was blanked through seven innings on Tuesday but woke to score three eighth-inning runs en route to a 3-2 victory.
Hunter Renfroe delivered a tiebreaking double in the eighth to give San Diego a much-appreciated comeback victory. "We needed it a lot," first baseman Eric Hosmer told reporters afterward. "Offensively, we haven't been firing on all cylinders, so it was big to come from behind, kind of steal this one." Texas' Shin-Soo Choo singled with two outs in the ninth inning to stretch his streak of reaching safely to 39 games, seven shy of the franchise single-season mark held by Julio Franco (1993). "After fourth at-bat, strikeout, I wish we just finish the game," Choo told reporters after he closed within this season's best such streak of 40 games, set by Philadelphia's Odubel Herrera. "That's a nice, clean game, 2-0. I'm not really expecting the fifth at-bat."
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (7-6, 4.23 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Mike Minor (5-4, 5.06)
Richard has won four consecutive outings and is 6-1 with a 2.98 ERA over his last eight. The 34-year-old has given up two or fewer runs in six of the eight starts during the stretch while lowering his ERA from 5.72 to 4.23. Richard owns a 4.40 ERA in six career appearances (two starts) versus the Rangers.
Minor defeated Minnesota in his last outing as he gave up one run and three hits over six innings. The 30-year-old was just 1-3 over his previous seven outings before putting together one of his best efforts of the campaign. Minor is 1-3 with a 5.55 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Padres.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 1B Ronald Guzman (concussion) was placed on the seven-day disabled list after being injured Monday while OF-1B Ryan Rua was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.
2. San Diego LHP Brad Hand posted his National League-leading 22nd save on Tuesday after blowing his previous two opportunities.
3. Texas' Nomar Mazara (hamstring) went 3-for-5 as the DH one night after departing early with the injury.