Texas @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2013 ) Texas 5, Oakland 1
Jarrod Parker looks to snap a tie on one front while helping his team forge another when he takes the mound Wednesday. The Oakland Athletics right-hander will vie for his 18th unbeaten result - which would move him past Catfish Hunter for the longest stretch in franchise history - when he faces the visiting Texas Rangers in the rubber match of the series. Parker needs to be careful with Mitch Moreland, who homered for the fifth time against the Athletics this season in Tuesday's 5-1 triumph.
Alex Rios also went deep as Texas snapped Oakland's four-game winning streak to claim sole possession of first place in the American League West. Yoenis Cespedes collected his third straight two-hit game and has hit safely in six of seven outings. The 27-year-old Cuban is 1-for-5 with a homer against Wednesday start Yu Darvish.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSSW (Texas), Athletics (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yu Darvish (12-6, 2.73 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (10-6, 3.59)
Darvish carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning Monday before yielding three runs to take the loss in a 3-2 setback to Minnesota. The 27-year-old Japanese star struck out at least 11 batters for the fifth time in seven outings. Darvish has struggled versus Oakland, posting a 1-4 mark with a 4.22 ERA.
Parker, who is 8-0 mark with a 2.57 ERA during his unbeaten streak, was in line to claim his fifth win in six starts Monday before reliever Ryan Cook allowed both inherited runners to score in a no-decision versus Tampa Bay. The 24-year-old improved to 5-1 against Texas after permitting two runs in six innings in a 4-2 triumph on Aug. 3. Parker has record quality starts in each of his last six trips to the mound.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus remained a bystander for the third straight contest as he nurses a sore back.
2. Oakland's Coco Crisp served as the team's DH on Tuesday as he deals with a bruised right shin. Crisp showed no ill effects, however, as he legged out a double in the first inning.
3. Texas has won nine of 15 meetings with its division rival.
PREDICTION: Athletics 2, Rangers 1