Seattle @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2011 ) Texas 3, Seattle 0
THE STORY: The Texas Rangers lost on Thursday but still moved closer to wrapping up the American League West title. The Rangers’ magic number is down to two entering Friday’s series-opener against the Seattle Mariners after the Los Angeles Angels lost to the Toronto Blue Jays later on Thursday. The Rangers have a five-game lead with six to play and can clinch the division Friday if they win and the Angels lose to the Oakland Athletics. Thursday’s loss to Oakland was only the second in 10 games for the Rangers. Texas is tied with the Detroit Tigers for the second-best record in the American League.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), KTXA (Texas).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Anthony Vasquez (1-4, 8.25 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Matt Harrison (13-9, 3.42 ERA)
Vasquez has lost four consecutive decisions since winning his major-league debut on Aug. 23. He lost to Texas in his last outing when he gave up five runs and seven hits in three-plus innings. Elvis Andrus, Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre all touched him up for homers. Vasquez has allowed nine long balls in just 24 innings.
Harrison has won three straight starts and has a 2.41 ERA during the span. He defeated Seattle in his last outing when he pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings. Harrison gave up six hits and struck out a career-high nine. Harrison is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA in three starts against Seattle. He has fanned 19 and walked just three in 21 1/3 innings. Harrison is 5-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 12 career appearances - eight starts - against the Mariners. Ichiro Suzuki is batting just. 214 in 28 career at-bats against Harrison.
ABOUT THE MARINERS (66-90): Seattle had its three-game winning snapped after losing to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. The Mariners had 13 hits in the 3-2 loss, but left 12 runners on base. Ichiro had one hit and is 21 hits shy of 200 with six games remaining. He had 200 hits in each of the past 10 seasons. Justin Smoak went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Smoak is batting .333 in 14 career games against Texas, the team that traded him to Seattle as part of last summer’s deal for pitcher Cliff Lee. Outfielder Casper Wells (sinus issues) is hoping to return to action during the Texas series, but shortstop Brendan Ryan (neck) is unlikely to play over the final six games.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (90-66): Beltre had a run-scoring double during Thursday’s game and is two shy of his third 100-RBI campaign. Ian Kinsler stole his 26th consecutive base and is 27-for-29 on the season. Kinsler needs three steals for the second 30-homer, 30-steal season of his career. Lefthander C.J. Wilson developed a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand during Wednesday’s outing, but the Rangers expect him to make his next start against the Angels on Monday. Catcher Yorvit Torrealba left Thursday’s game after being hit in the head with a foul ball, but the club said he didn’t suffer a concussion. Reliever Mark Lowe (hamstring) probably won’t pitch again in the regular season and could be in jeopardy of making the first-round playoff roster.
FINAL PITCH: Michael Young went 7-for-13 in the three-game series against Oakland as he tries to chase down American League batting leader Adrian Gonzalez (.341) of the Boston Red Sox. Young, who is hitting .335, won the batting title in 2005 when he hit a career-best .331.