Texas @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( May 9, 2018 ) Detroit 4, Texas 5

After ending their 4-4 homestand with three consecutive losses, the Texas Rangers hope to right the ship on the road as they begin a 10-game trek that leads into the All-Star break on Thursday with the opener of a four-game series against the reeling Detroit Tigers. Texas squandered an early four-run lead Wednesday and dropped its eighth straight meeting with Houston, a 5-4 setback in 10 innings.

Shin-Soo Choo belted a solo homer for the Rangers in the third inning on Wednesday to extend his on-base streak to a major league-high 44 games. The 35-year-old South Korean is two contests shy of matching the franchise single-season record set in 1993 by Julio Franco. Detroit is in the midst of a funk that has seen it suffer 13 defeats over its last 15 contests, including a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday that concluded a 2-4 road trip. Jose Iglesias collected three of the nine hits recorded by the Tigers, who have dropped four in a row at home and go back on the road after this series for a six-game trek before the break.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yovani Gallardo (2-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (4-6, 4.18)

Gallardo has gradually gotten better since joining the Rangers' rotation, reducing his runs allowed and walks by one in each of his last two starts after yielding five and three, respectively, in a no-decision in his team debut against Colorado on June 17. The 32-year-old native of Mexico, who parted ways with Cincinnati after making three relief appearances in early April, gave up three runs and four hits over 7 1/3 innings in a victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Gallardo, who recorded 13 wins for Texas in 2015, is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in three career starts versus Detroit.

Boyd's winless streak reached four starts on Saturday, when he allowed three runs and four hits over six innings in a no-decision at Toronto. It was the third consecutive road outing for the 27-year-old native of Washington, who was tagged for 11 runs on 14 hits and five walks over seven frames in his previous two. Boyd, who owns a 2.61 ERA at home as opposed to a 5.55 mark on the road, is 1-4 with a 5.53 ERA in five career starts against Texas.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup due to an infected tooth.

2. Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire is expected to be in the dugout for the series opener after leaving Wednesday's contest due to overheating and dehydration.

3. Texas placed Tony Barnette (shoulder) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled fellow RHP Chris Martin from Triple-A Round Rock.

PREDICTION: Tigers 9, Rangers 4