Texas @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2016 ) Texas 8, LA Angels 5

One year after dealing for Cole Hamels at the trade deadline and making a serious postseason push, the Texas Rangers are hoping two other late-arriving acquisitions can help them get past the American League Championship Series. After combining for all three of their team's home runs in their most recent win, Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez hope to help the Rangers complete a three-game road sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Lucroy staked Texas to an early lead with an RBI double before clubbing the go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of Saturday's 8-5 victory, and the longtime Milwaukee Brewer is batting .298 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 31 games since his Aug. 1 trade. Gomez, who arrived less than three weeks later after his release from the Houston Astros, added his first two-homer effort in more than a year, giving him four since joining the Rangers 16 games ago. Texas (85-58) lowered its magic number for clinching the AL West to 11 games following Saturday's victory and holds a 3 1/2-game edge over Cleveland for the best record in the AL. The Angels have dropped four in a row after winning 11 of their previous 13, but they can even up their season series at eight games apiece with a victory Sunday.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Colby Lewis (6-1, 3.21 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jered Weaver (10-11, 5.37)
Lewis is set to make his first start in the majors in more than two months after he was diagnosed with a strained muscle in his back following his only loss of the season on June 21. The 37-year-old topped out at 66 pitches and was ineffective over three minor-league rehab starts, failing to factor into the decision in any of those outings despite giving up 11 runs over 10 innings. Lewis has won both of his turns this season versus the Angels despite giving up eight runs across 12 frames, but he is only 8-11 with a 6.26 ERA in 26 games (24 starts) against them.
Weaver took a line drive off his right hip and was later removed from his last outing after four innings in Oakland, giving up five runs on four hits and three walks before his exit. The three-time All-Star had won both of his previous turns before Monday's no-decision, but his brief outing was enough to let him join Chuck Finley and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to reach 2,000 innings in an Angels' uniform. Weaver allowed one run in six frames to get the victory versus the Rangers in his season debut in April 10, improving to 16-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 38 starts against them.

WALK-OFFS
1. Texas has won eight of its last nine one-run games and is a MLB-best 31-9 in such affairs.
2. Angels RF Kole Calhoun belted a two-run homer Saturday and is batting .377 in 14 contests — with at least one hit in every game — versus the Rangers this season.
3. Lucroy's go-ahead home run Saturday gave the Rangers their 18th such hit in the seventh inning or later this season, three more than any other club.

PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Angels 6