Listen Live: Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers [Live Audio] MLB
Where: Globe Life Park in Arlington, Arlington, Texas
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore)
A pair of first-place teams will square off Monday in a make-up game when the Texas Rangers host the Baltimore Orioles. The Rangers are squeezing in the contest - which was originally scheduled on April 17 but postponed due to rain - between a 10-game road trip and a two-game series that begins Tuesday at home against Cincinnati.
They capped off the trip with a 5-4 victory at St. Louis, finishing a three-game sweep and setting a new season standard with six straight wins. Opponents have been held to 3.2 runs during the streak, but Texas pitching will be tested against the high-powered Baltimore offense, which cranked out a season-high 19 hits in an 11-6 win over Toronto at home on Sunday. Second baseman Jonathan Schoop homered for the second straight game and has four blasts in his last nine contests for the Orioles. Baltimore left town following the win but will return to Camden Yards on Tuesday to open up a six-game homestand.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (0-4, 4.14 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (5-5, 5.14)
Gausman is winless in 11 starts and is coming off his worst outing of the season, a loss at Boston in which he gave up six runs in three innings. That left the 25-year-old at 0-3 with a 4.78 ERA in six road starts this season and 5-15 with a 5.10 mark for his career. Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder is 4-for-8 with a home run against Gausman, who is 0-1 with a 3.68 ERA in three games (two starts) in his career against Texas.
After posting four straight quality starts, Holland has given up 10 runs (nine earned) in 8 2/3 innings over his last two outings, serving up four home runs in the process. The 29-year-old is 5-2 with a sparkling 2.94 ERA in his career against the Orioles but has never faced them with Mark Trumbo - who is 14-for-45 with five homers against Holland - in the lineup. The Ohio native has enjoyed success against Baltimore slugger Chris Davis (1-for-11, eight strikeouts) and catcher Matt Wieters (2-for-18, five strikeouts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas is 16-4 in one-run games -- the best mark in the majors.
2. Orioles 3B Manny Machado will be serving the second of a four-game suspension.
3. Schoop slugged two homers in a win at Texas on April 15.
PREDICTION: Rangers 6, Orioles 5
