Kansas City @ Texas preview
Globe Life Park in Arlington
Last Meeting ( Mar 18, 2013 ) Kansas City 2, Texas 8
After snapping their first three-game skid of the season with a 9-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the first-place Rangers welcome Kansas City for a three-game series starting Friday. The Rangers lead the American League West despite the absence of second baseman Ian Kinsler, who leads the team with a .302 average but is not expected back from a rib injury until late June. Nelson Cruz, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in Thursday’s win, paces Texas with 12 homers and 36 RBIs.
Under new batting coach and Royals' legend George Brett, Kansas City broke out for three ninth-inning runs and won 4-2 at St. Louis in a rain-filled game that ended at 3:14 a.m. local time Friday. That ended an eight-game skid in which the team had mustered 16 runs. Jeff Francoeur homered for the first time since April 10 to tie the score in the ninth. The Royals have been respectable on the road, going 12-15.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Kansas City, KTXA (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Wade Davis (3-4, 5.71 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (4-2, 2.97)
Batters are hitting .341 against Davis, who has an unsightly WHIP of 1.87. But he was solid in his last outing, allowing three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings while losing against the Los Angeles Angels. It was his first quality start in his last four outings. He’s 1-2 with a 13.50 ERA in five career appearances (two starts) against Texas.
Holland struck out a season-high 10 and allowed no earned runs over 6 2/3 innings last Saturday while beating the Seattle Mariners. He has a 2.60 ERA at home this season, and the Rangers have won his past five starts overall. But in six career appearances (four starts) against Kansas City, Holland is 1-1 with a 5.53 ERA.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Left-handed batters are 2-for-13 against Rangers reliever Neal Cotts.
2. Rangers 2B Jurickson Profar is batting .400 during his six-game hitting streak.
3. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer, who hit the game-winning, two-run double against the Cardinals, had his first multi-RBI game since May 9 at Baltimore.
PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Royals 3