Rangers at Tribe
Cleveland, OH – The banged-up Texas Rangers are running out of time as they try to mount a push for the playoffs.
They’ll try to avoid a third straight loss to one of the AL’s weaker teams Monday night when they open a three-game road series against the Cleveland Indians.
Texas (76-60) lost the final two games of its weekend series at last-place Baltimore to fall 5 1/2 games behind AL West leader Los Angeles. The Rangers have also dropped three games behind wild card-leading Boston.
Center fielder Josh Hamilton missed the series in Baltimore with a back injury and it’s unclear when he will rejoin the club. Leading hitter Michael Young has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury, and could return in this series.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook SBG Global have made the Rangers -140 moneyline favorites for Monday’s game against the Indians. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 56% of more than 157 bets for this game have been placed on the Rangers -140.
The Rangers have gone 15 innings without scoring after a 7-0 loss Sunday.
"It’s frustrating to lose. I think the last time we scored was the third inning yesterday. Must be some good pitching going on," manager Ron Washington said.
Texas has won two of three in each of its last three visits to Cleveland (60-76), and is 5-1 against the Indians this year. The Rangers, however, watched Hamilton go 12 for 23 (.522) with six RBIs while the club scored 38 runs in those games.
That kind of production has been absent in recent games.
"It’s unusual," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "But we’re in the middle of a pennant race and we don’t have time to really think about that."
Kinsler is 7 for 14 with six RBIs in three games against the Indians this year. He’s also a career .344 hitter with 19 runs scored and 18 RBIs in 21 lifetime games versus Cleveland.
The Rangers are also hoping for a lengthy start by Tommy Hunter (7-3, 3.14 ERA) on Monday after seeing their bullpen log 10 innings over the weekend. Hunter won Wednesday when he allowed four runs over seven innings in a 6-4 victory over Toronto.
The rookie right-hander turned in his best effort of the season Aug. 12 at Cleveland when he gave up six hits over 7 2-3 innings in a 5-0 victory.
The Indians have won five of seven at home after a 3-1 victory Sunday over Minnesota.
Michael Brantley had two hits and scored two runs Sunday to cap a big week. Brantley hit safely in all six games since being called up Tuesday, going 9 for 23 (.391).
"Brantley put some good swings on the ball against us," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He’s a nice-looking player."
Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 18.00) will make his second major league start for Cleveland. He allowed six runs over three innings Tuesday in an 8-5 loss at Detroit in his debut.
The 22-year-old right-hander was obtained from Philadelphia in the Cliff Lee deal and was called up from Triple-A Columbus before Tuesday’s game.
"In my mind, I knew they traded a great pitcher, a Cy Young winner," Carrasco told the Indians’ official Web site, "so I knew I had to do the job. I became more focused."
Posted: 9/7/09 6:00AM ET
