Arizona @ Texas preview

Arizona at Texas

Last Meeting ( May 30, 2013 ) Arizona 5, Texas 9

The Texas Rangers are giving their fans a thrill after recording three consecutive walk-off victories. The Rangers look to ride that momentum on Thursday, when they face the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks in a makeup game. Unplayable field conditions caused by heavy rain and gusty winds led to the postponement of the May 29 tilt in Arlington, Texas.

After Geovany Soto and Leonys Martin provided the big blows in the first two games of the set, Adrian Beltre went deep on Wednesday to lead off the ninth inning as Texas completed the three-game sweep of the American League West-rival Los Angeles Angels. Texas climbed within four games of division-leading Oakland, while Arizona is 2 1/2 behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Eric Chavez homered for the second straight contest as the Diamondbacks cooled off red-hot Tampa Bay with a 7-0 drubbing on Wednesday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN (Arizona), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Zeke Spruill (0-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Yu Darvish (9-5, 2.80)

With Ian Kennedy traded on Wednesday and Trevor Cahill in need of another rehab start, the Diamondbacks plan to recall Spruill from Triple-A Reno for his first major-league start. The 23-year-old allowed one run on two hits in one inning of relief versus Atlanta on Sunday. Spruill has recorded at least one strikeout in all four of his relief appearances this season.

Darvish fell to 2-2 in his last four outings despite yielding just one run and scattering three hits while striking out 11 against Cleveland on Saturday. The Japanese phenom matched a career high with 14 strikeouts versus Arizona on May 27 but allowed four runs on seven hits in 7 2/3 innings to settle for a no-decision. Darvish has walked four batters in three of his last four appearances.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas SS Elvis Andrus is riding a 13-game hitting streak, the longest active run in the majors.

2. After going 1-for-21 in his previous five games, Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt went 2-for-3 with three runs scored on Wednesday. He has yet to face Darvish in his career.

3. Beltre's blast capped an impressive stretch for the slugger. He is 7-for-13 in his last three games.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Diamondbacks 1