Texas @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2015 ) Texas 10, Oakland 3

The Texas Rangers look to complete a three-game sweep when they visit the American League West-rival Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon for the finale of their series. Texas also is hoping to increase its division lead over second-place Houston, which fell three games back thanks to a loss to the Los Angeles Angels and the Rangers' 10-3 triumph Wednesday.

Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus belted three-run homers while Rougned Odor added a solo shot for Texas, which attempts to get past Oakland before beginning a crucial three-game set at Houston on Friday. Beltre has been an RBI machine of late, driving in 17 runs over his last 10 games — a stretch that began with a five-RBI performance against Oakland on Sept. 13. Josh Reddick and Eric Sogard went deep for the Athletics, whose overall losing streak reached four games. Oakland has allowed a total of 29 runs in dropping three straight at home after blanking Houston on Sept. 8.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Cole Hamels (10-8, 3.67 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Chris Bassitt (1-6, 2.82)

Hamels is coming off his fourth straight victory, a triumph over Seattle on Saturday in which he allowed one run and seven hits with 12 strikeouts in seven innings. The 31-year-old Californian has worked at least seven frames in six of seven outings since falling at Seattle on Aug. 7 for his only loss in nine turns since being acquired from Philadelphia. Hamels made his only career start against Oakland on June 25, 2011, when he suffered a hard-luck loss for the Phillies after giving up just two runs in eight innings.

Bassitt will be making his first start since Aug. 26 due to a sore right shoulder. The 26-year-old native of Ohio suffered his second straight loss in that outing, yielding four runs on seven hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings at Seattle. Bassitt made his only career appearance against the Rangers on May 2, when he surrendered two runs on one hit and two walks in one frame of relief at Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rangers have won eight of their last 10 contests, scoring at least six runs seven times in that span.

2. Oakland C Stephen Vogt (groin) returned to the lineup at first base Wednesday and went 0-for-4 in his first start in the field since Sept. 6.

3. Athletics CF Billy Burns' triple on Wednesday was the team's 41st of the season — a new Oakland record, eclipsing the 40 the club registered in 1968.

PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Athletics 3