Pittsburgh @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 7, Texas 5

Rookie outfielder Nomar Mazara is off to an impressive start and gets his first look at National League pitching when the Texas Rangers host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday to open a three-game interleague set. Mazara belted his eighth homer Wednesday as Texas won for the fifth time in six games and is 8-for-16 with three blasts and eight RBIs over the last four contests.

“I know I have to make adjustments,” Mazara, who leads the team with eight homers and a .320 batting average, told reporters. “They’re not going to keep pitching me the same way, so I have to be prepared.” Pittsburgh starter Jonathon Niese must tackle a Rangers lineup coming off season highs for runs (15) and hits (18) in its last game while fellow lefty Cole Hamels tries to stay unbeaten for Texas. The Pirates are playing some of their best baseball of the season as well with a four-game winning streak and victories in nine of the last 11 as they begin a seven-game road trip. Gregory Polanco has hit safely in five straight contests (9-for-21) and Josh Harrison is 6-for-11 during a four-game hit streak.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jonathon Niese (4-2, 4.75 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Cole Hamels (5-0, 2.83)

Niese goes for his fourth straight quality start after allowing six runs over 19 2/3 innings in his last three starts while managing just one victory. The 29-year-old completed at least five innings in each of his nine starts, but has surrendered 11 homers overall. Adrian Beltre homered in three at-bats versus Niese, who is 1-0 in two outings with a 4.50 ERA against the Rangers.

Hamels yielded two runs (one earned) over eight innings to win at Houston last Sunday while improving to 12-1 since being acquired from Philadelphia last season. The 32-year-old has given up three or fewer earned runs in eight of nine starts in 2016. Andrew McCutchen is 7-for-24 with a homer against Hamels, who is 3-2 with a 2.43 ERA in nine career games versus Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas manager Jeff Banister spent 29 years in the Pirates organization as a player or coach before being hired by the Rangers before last season.

2. McCutchen needs three hits to become the first player in franchise history with at least 150 homers, 150 stolen bases and 1,200 hits.

3. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus takes an 11-game hitting streak into the series and OF Ian Desmond is 10-for-19 in his last four contests.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Pirates 2