Cleveland @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2016 ) Texas 4, Cleveland 5

It's been a memorable season for the Cleveland Indians, but manager Terry Francona would like his club to forget the most recent series entering a four-game showdown at the Texas Rangers on Thursday night. After opening a seven-game road trip with a 1-0 win at Oakland on Monday, the Indians were outscored 14-2 while dropping the final two contests.

"Hopefully we just had like three days of amnesia," Francona said after watching his team score one run in three straight games. "They did a number on us." The latest setback dropped Cleveland one game behind Texas for the best record in the American League. Adrian Beltre made his 2,900th career hit a memorable one with a tiebreaking double as the Rangers snapped a three-game skid with a 6-5 win at Cincinnati on Wednesday. Texas left-hander Cole Hamels will go for his 14th victory when he opposes 11-game winner Josh Tomlin, who is seeking to halt a four-start losing streak.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (11-7, 4.39 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Cole Hamels (13-4, 2.80)

Tomlin failed to get through five innings for the third time during his four-start skid when he was battered by Toronto for six runs on nine hits, including three homers, over 4 1/3 innings. Tomlin has surrendered a major league-worst 32 homers, including at least one in 13 consecutive starts. He lasted only 3 2/3 innings in a loss to the Rangers on May 30, giving up eight runs (four earned) on nine hits.

Hamels registered his fifth straight quality start by limiting Tampa Bay to one run and three hits while striking out 10. It was the sixth time in seven outings that he has yielded two runs or fewer, although he was rattled for 14 hits in a 2-0 loss versus Detroit in his previous turn. Hamels is 0-2 with a 7.31 ERA in three starts versus the Indians after allowing three runs over seven innings in a no-decision on June 1.

WALK-OFFS

1. Beltre is tied with Robin Yount for 20th place on the career doubles list with 583 -- two behind Rafael Palmeiro.

2. Indians RF Lonnie Chisenhall is 10-for-24 with two homers and six RBIs over his last seven games.

3. OF Carlos Gomez, a recent signee by the Rangers, will join the team for Thursday's series opener.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Indians 3