Texas @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2011 ) Tampa Bay 6, Texas 8

THE STORY: The Texas Rangers finally got their offensive going in Game 2 and strive to touch home plate some more when they face the Tampa Bay Rays in Monday’s Game 3 of the American League Division Series. The Rangers didn’t score in the first 12 innings of the series before scoring five runs in the fourth inning en route to an 8-6 win on Saturday that knotted the series at 1-1. Tampa Bay won the opener 9-0 behind seven shutout innings from Matt Moore and two homers from Kelly Shoppach.

TV: 5:07 p.m. ET, TBS.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Colby Lewis (14-10, 4.40 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (12-13, 3.49 ERA)

Lewis was a force in the 2010 postseason (3-0, 1.71 ERA) and was dominant in his only 2011 start against Tampa Bay. Lewis tossed eight innings of four-hit shutout ball while beating the Rays on June 1. He is 3-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Tampa Bay. Johnny Damon is batting .308 in 13 career at-bats against Lewis.

Price hasn’t won since August 28 and he twice lost to the Rangers and Cliff Lee in last year’s postseason series. Overall, Price has never beaten Texas. He went 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in two 2011 starts against the Rangers and is 0-3 with a 5.67 ERA in six career outings. Josh Hamilton is just 2-for-13 against Price.

ABOUT THE RAYS: B.J. Upton had three hits in Game 2 and is batting .500 in the series. Evan Longoria hit a three-run homer and has a Tampa Bay record eight postseason homers. Longoria’s 18 postseason RBIs are tied with Upton for most in franchise history. Left-handed hitting Matt Joyce homered off Texas lefty Dustin Holland after batting .217 with three homers against left-handers in the regular season. Desmond Jennings returned to the leadoff spot after being dropped to eighth in Game 1.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Texas had lost seven straight ALDS home games before Saturday’s win. Mitch Moreland homered in the eighth inning after Texas (210 regular-season homers) failed to go deep in the first 16 innings of the series. Mike Napoli had a key two-run single during the five-run fourth that got Texas moving. Outfielder Nelson Cruz is 1-for-7 with five strikeouts in the first two games but is 4-for-7 against Price.

FINAL PITCH: Texas won all three games played at Tropicana Field while beating the Rays in the 2010 ALDS.