After a poor start, the Texas Rangers have begun to hit on the road. That doesn't bode well for the Oakland Athletics and their struggling pitching staff.
Winners of a season-high four straight, the Rangers look to continue their recent road success as they open a two-game set with the Athletics on Tuesday night.Texas (14-12) got off to a slow start to the season, due in part to its lack of offense away from Rangers Ballpark.
The Rangers hit .187 en route to losing five of their first six road games. In going 5-1 on the road since, however, Texas is batting .297 with 14 home runs, nine doubles and 35 runs.
This will be the third game of a seven-game trip for the Rangers, who are coming off a two-game sweep of AL West-leading Seattle.
"We wanted to come on this road trip and make sure we play good baseball," second baseman Ian Kinsler told the team's official Web site. "This is a good start, we just need to keep the intensity up."
On Tuesday, the Rangers' lineup struggled before putting together a six-run 10th inning in a 7-2 win over the Mariners. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a grand slam to power Texas.
The Rangers are 4-1 since their first series of the season with Oakland (9-15) last week. The teams were scheduled to play three contests, but the middle game was postponed due to rain and the teams split the two other matchups.
In the series finale Thursday night, the Rangers went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in a 4-2 loss.
Now, Texas travels to Oakland to face an A's team that has gotten poor starting pitching at home, posting an 5.34 ERA there.
Dallas Braden allowed five runs - three earned - in six innings against Los Angeles on Tuesday night as the A's fell 5-3.
Oakland starters have failed to reach the seventh inning in 12 straight games.
"It's imperative that we get at least six innings out of each one of us," Braden said. "You've got to keep fighting, and you've got to make better pitches."
The A's now turn to Dan Giese (0-2, 3.55 ERA), who gets his first start this season after four relief appearances. He's been moved into the rotation with Dana Eveland getting sent to Triple-A Sacramento due to ineffectiveness.
Giese is 0-2 with a 3.78 ERA in three career starts. The right-hander has had trouble with his control this season, walking eight in 12 2-3 innings.
He hasn't received a decision in two career relief appearances against the Rangers, pitching two scoreless innings.
Texas will counter with Scott Feldman (1-0, 6.75), who's 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts after beginning the season in the bullpen. The right-hander took a shutout into the sixth inning and allowed three runs and three hits in 5 2-3 innings as the Rangers lost 4-3 to Chicago on Friday night.
Feldman is 1-2 with a 4.03 ERA in four starts and five relief appearances versus Oakland.
The A's continue to struggle at the plate, batting .236 and hitting an AL-low 13 home runs. Oakland has lost three straight to fall six games below .500 for the first time this season.
