Texas @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2013 ) Texas 4, Oakland 0

The Oakland Athletics are surging at the right time as the first-place Texas Rangers visit for the opener of a three-game series on Monday. The Athletics have won six of their last seven and climbed within one game of the Rangers in the American League West after holding Tampa Bay to five runs in a three-game sweep. Coco Crisp is batting .364 with six home runs over the last 11 games to lead Oakland's offense, which is averaging 6.4 runs over the last seven contests.

The Rangers scored a total of six runs while dropping two of three against Minnesota over the weekend but are 8-5 versus Oakland this season. Texas will have Derek Holland on the mound in the opener, while ace Yu Darvish is scheduled to start the finale on Wednesday. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus did not play Sunday due to tightness in his lower back and likely will sit out at least another game.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Derek Holland (9-6, 3.00 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Dan Straily (7-7, 4.41)

Holland yielded eight runs over 25 innings in his last four starts without gaining a decision after striking out 10 in eight scoreless frames to beat Oakland on Aug. 4. The 26-year-old has recorded a career-high 167 strikeouts in 180 innings this season. Kurt Suzuki is 7-for-20 with a pair of homers against Holland, who is 5-2 with a 2.64 ERA versus the Athletics in 14 appearances (10 starts).

Straily allowed one run over six innings Wednesday to defeat Detroit and snap a five-game losing streak. The 24-year-old received only five runs of support in those five losses and has served up eight homers in his last eight starts. A.J. Pierzynski is 3-for-5 with a homer against Straily, who is 1-1 with a 4.37 ERA in four career starts versus Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre batted .381 with five homers and 21 RBIs in 27 August games.

2. INF Jemile Weeks, who played 118 games for the Athletics last season, was recalled for the first time in 2013 when the rosters expanded on Sunday.

3. Texas OF Nelson Cruz, suspended 50 games for using performance-enhancing drugs, had five homers and 14 RBIs is 13 games against Oakland this season.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Rangers 4