Texas @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 28, 2011 ) Texas 2, St. Louis 6
The last time the Texas Rangers visited St. Louis, they needed just one win to claim a World Series title but lost a heartbreaking Game 6 and fell to the Cardinals in seven games. The Rangers hope to leave town a bit happier after a three-game interleague series that begins Friday. Derek Holland, who played a key role in getting the Rangers to the doorstep of a title in 2011, will start the opener opposite Cardinals rookie Tyler Lyons.
It's once again a matchup of World Series hopefuls, as St. Louis enters with a 3 1/2-game lead over Pittsburgh in the National League Central and Texas is just a game back of upstart Oakland in the American League West. The Rangers took three of four from the Athletics earlier this week and seem to have turned things around after a season-high six-game losing streak. The Cardinals started their home stand by taking three of four from the Chicago Cubs, retaining the best record in baseball.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, TXA-21 (Texas), Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Derek Holland (5-4, 3.30 ERA) vs. Cardinals LH Tyler Lyons (2-3, 4.65)
The Rangers have lost Holland's last three starts - and he has been tagged with the loss in the last two - after they won all six of his outings in May. He was tagged for four runs on 10 hits over six innings last time out against Toronto after lasting only 4 1/3 in his previous start. Holland has never faced the Cardinals in the regular season, but threw a gem against them in the 2011 World Series with 8 1/3 innings of two-hit ball.
After winning his first two major-league starts, Lyons has lost three straight and allowed four or more runs in each. He had his roughest outing yet last time out, allowing six runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings in a loss at Miami. The 25-year-old left-hander is making only his second start at Busch Stadium, where he lost to San Francisco on June 2.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 1B Mitch Moreland (hamstring) will be activated from the disabled list Friday, likely relegating former Cardinal Lance Berkman to a pinch-hitting role in the NL park.
2. Cardinals C Yadier Molina is riding a six-game hitting streak and is batting .391 in 18 games this month. Molina leads the majors with a .366 average.
3. Texas OF Leonys Martin is 9-for-19 during his six-game hitting streak, two shy of his career-best streak earlier this year.
PREDICTION: Rangers 6, Cardinals 4