Minnesota @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2018 ) Minnesota 4, Texas 7

The Texas Rangers seek their first series win in two weeks when they host the Minnesota Twins on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game set. Texas, which has dropped three straight series since taking three of four from the Los Angeles Angels, ended its five-game slide and evened the set with Saturday's 7-4 triumph.

The Rangers belted four home runs in the victory - including one by Nomar Mazara, who had gone deep in each game of the series after hitting only two in his previous 42 contests. Adrian Beltre also homered to record his 3,143rd career hit, which moved him ahead of Robin Yount for 17th place on the all-time list. Rookie Jake Cave went 2-for-4 with a homer for the Twins, who have lost six of their last eight games. Cave also went deep in the series opener and has recorded five of his nine blasts over his last 12 contests.

TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Gabriel Moya (3-0, 4.73 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Yohander Mendez (0-1, 14.73)

Moya will make his first major-league start as the Twins pushed Kyle Gibson back in order to employ the new rage known as the "opener" strategy, a method in which a team utilizes a parade of relievers in order to rest its starters or compensate for injured ones. Moya, a 23-year-old Venezuelan, has made 24 relief appearances this season - with the longest being a 2 2/3-inning stint at Cleveland on Aug. 9. Right-hander Zack Littell is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Rochester and eat some innings following Moya's effort.

Mendez is slated to return from the minors and start in place of Bartolo Colon (back), who was activated from the 10-day disabled list Saturday but scratched from his scheduled turn due to a stomach virus. The 23-year-old Mendez, who also hails from Venezuela, made one relief appearance and one start for Texas this year before violating team rules and being demoted to Single-A Down East. Mendez did not fare well in his first major-league start on June 15 against Colorado, surrendering six runs and seven hits in three innings of a loss.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers 2B Rougned Odor collected 29 RBIs in August, tying Miguel Andujar of the New York Yankees for the most in the major leagues for the month.

2. Minnesota activated RHP Matt Belisle (knee) from the 10-day DL, recalled OF Johnny Field and RHP Tyler Duffey from Rochester and purchased the contracts of C Chris Gimenez and LHP Andrew Vasquez from the Red Wings.

3. In addition to Colon, Texas activated OF Delino DeShields (finger) from the 10-day DL and recalled LHP Zac Curtis from Triple-A Round Rock.

PREDICTION: Rangers 8, Twins 5