Cincinnati @ Texas preview

Cincinnati at Texas

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2013 ) Cincinnati 0, Texas 4

The Texas Rangers will look to extend their winning streak to four games Saturday when they host the Cincinnati Reds in the middle contest of their three-game interleague series. Texas captured the final two games of its three-game set with the Yankees in New York before returning home to blank Cincinnati 4-0 in Friday's opener. Martin Perez worked 6 2/3 strong innings before Jason Frasor and Robbie Ross combined to record the final seven outs as Texas posted its second straight shutout win and handed the Reds their second consecutive shutout loss.

The Rangers improved to 8-1 over their last nine games, while Cincinnati lost for the seventh time in nine contests. The Reds have gone 22 innings without a run, last scoring in the fifth frame of Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the Athletics in Oakland. Cincinnati has been outscored 33-15 while going 1-5 on its eight-game road trip.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mike Leake (7-3, 2.61 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Nick Tepesch (3-6, 4.60)

Leake has been sensational over his last eight starts, going 5-1 with a 1.31 ERA while allowing more than two runs just once. The 25-year-old was forced to settle for a no-decision at Arizona on June 22 despite yielding only two runs and four hits over eight innings. Leake, who is 5-1 in eight road outings this year, never has faced the Rangers.

Tepesch is seeking his first victory since May 12 at Houston, as he has gone 0-3 in seven starts since. The 24-year-old allowed just one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings at St. Louis on Sunday but did not figure in the decision. Tepesch, who will be facing the Reds for the first time, is just 1-3 with a 4.79 ERA in seven home starts this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Leake has worked at least six innings in seven of his last eight starts and has held the opposition to fewer than two earned runs in six of those outings.

2. Friday's shutout win was the second in a row for Texas. Derek Holland tossed a two-hitter against the Yankees on Thursday for his sixth career complete-game shutout.

3. Reds RHP Johnny Cueto could be facing his third stint on the disabled list this season. Cueto left Friday's game just four pitches into the second inning with tightness in his right lat muscle.

PREDICTION: Reds 5, Rangers 2