Texas @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2018 ) Texas 0, Oakland 9

The Oakland Athletics have received contributions from many different players during their surge toward the top of the American League West, and rookie Ramon Laureano became the latest to do damage. Oakland hopes for a repeat performance when it hosts the Texas Rangers on Tuesday for the middle contest of their three-game series.

Laureano belted his first two major-league home runs and collected five RBIs to lead the Athletics to a 9-0 triumph in Monday's series opener. Khris Davis and Stephen Piscotty also went deep as Oakland posted its 14th win in 18 contests and 41st in 55 to pull even with Houston for the division lead. The Rangers managed only three hits on Monday as they kicked off a six-game road trip with their second loss in three contests. Nomar Mazara enters Tuesday with a seven-game hitting streak during which he has gone 9-for-27.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Ariel Jurado (2-2, 6.41 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Brett Anderson (2-3, 3.90)

Jurado has surrendered six runs in each of his last two starts, including a loss to the Yankees in New York on Aug. 9 in which he walked three and gave up seven hits - including four home runs. The 22-year-old Panamanian rookie escaped with a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday after yielding nine hits in six frames. Jurado, who will be making his sixth major-league start, allowed three runs over 11 innings in his previous two turns - winning both.

Anderson has been outstanding this month, allowing two runs and 11 hits over 19 2/3 innings in three starts, but has a trio of no-decisions to show for his efforts. The 30-year-old Texan kept the opposition scoreless while working at least seven frames in two of those outings - both of which took place at home. Anderson has struggled against Texas during his career, going 2-4 with a 5.68 ERA in nine starts and three relief appearances.

WALK-OFFS

1. The bottom four hitters in Oakland's lineup on Monday combined to go 11-for-17 with seven RBIs and seven runs scored.

2. Texas LHP Mike Minor (back), who has won three consecutive outings, is expected to start the series finale on Wednesday.

3. Davis is three homers away from his third straight 40-blast season and needs one RBI to reach the century mark for the third consecutive campaign.

PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Rangers 4