Seattle @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2016 ) Seattle 3, Texas 7

The Texas Rangers produced the opening salvo in a series of games against Seattle and look to defeat the visiting Mariners for the second straight night on Saturday. Texas posted a 7-3 victory on Friday in the first of six meetings over a 10-day span to take a one-game lead over the Mariners in the American League West.

Adrian Beltre homered and recorded five RBIs against his former team as part of a 13-hit attack in the opener of a three-game set that helped Texas win for the fifth time in its last six contests. Beltre registered the third straight two-hit performance during his nine-game hitting streak while Ian Desmond went 4-for-5 and scored twice. Seattle's Kyle Seager notched two hits and one RBI in the opener and is a torrid 13-for-20 with two homers, 12 RBIs and eight runs scored over his last five games. Teammate Robinson Cano has reached base in 32 consecutive games and ranks second in the majors with 48 RBIs.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Nathan Karns (5-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (3-4, 3.12)

Karns has won five consecutive decisions since losing his first start of the campaign. He has allowed two runs or fewer on five occasions, including his last turn in which he gave up two runs and eight hits over 6 2/3 innings of a victory over San Diego. Karns is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two career starts against the Rangers, with both outings coming last season while with Tampa Bay.

Perez has emerged victorious in each of his last two starts, allowing just two runs in 12 innings. He has given up two runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings to whittle down an ERA that stood at 4.50 after four turns. Perez is 2-2 with a 3.43 ERA in nine career appearances (seven starts) versus Seattle and has been rocked by Seager, who is 10-for-22 with three homers against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers RF Shin-Soo Choo (hamstring) began a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Friday and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

2. Seattle 1B Dae-Ho Lee is 9-for-16 with two homers and seven RBIs over his last five games.

3. Texas 2B Jurickson Profar went 2-for-5 with a homer Friday and was 12-for-33 with two blasts while filling in for Rougned Odor, whose seven-game suspension for punching Toronto's Jose Bautista has ended.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Mariners 3