Game Preview: Athletics At Rangers

(AP) - Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin elected to give Scott Kazmir an extra day of rest, and given the lineup he'll now face, he still might not have to overexert himself.

The in-form left-hander takes the mound Friday night as the Athletics open a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers.

Kazmir (2-0, 0.99 ERA) has contributed once already to Texas' futile offense, limiting it to a hit in seven innings of a 10-0 win in his season debut April 8. Prince Fielder was 0 for 2 and fell to 1 for 11 in their matchups, while Adrian Beltre (9 for 40 with 12 strikeouts) and Robinson Chirinos (1 for 10) have also struggled.

Kazmir struck out 10 and improved to 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five starts against the Rangers while with Oakland.

He's limiting opponents to a .158 average and has struck out 30 in 27 1-3 innings. The three runs he's allowed have come on the road, but his last four away starts have resulted in a 2-1 record and 1.59 ERA.

In last Friday's 5-4 loss in 11 to visiting Houston, Kazmir allowed five hits in seven innings, and his teammates recognize he probably deserves more than two wins.

"What he's done for us his first four starts has been something special," outfielder Josh Reddick told MLB's official website.

The rotation in general had been pretty special to that point, but the starters posted a 5.86 ERA in the next five games. In Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the A's (9-14) fell just shy of rallying from four down in the ninth.

Reddick was in on it as part of a 2-for-4 day, and he's 13 for 26 during an eight-game hitting streak. Reddick is also batting .395 with 12 RBIs in his last 12 against the Rangers.

It was Oakland's sixth loss in seven games and eighth in as many day games, during which it has a 4.81 ERA and is averaging 3.50 runs. At night, it's posted a 3.02 ERA and scored 5.47 runs per game. Every other team in the majors has won a day game, though the A's won't have to worry about that in the first two in Texas.

The season-opening series between these clubs in Oakland resulted in a four-game split, and the A's won seven of 10 in Texas last season.

Texas (7-14) is still seeking its first series win, and it wasn't even close in a three-game home sweep at the hands of Seattle. The Rangers fell 5-2 on Wednesday behind five hits, and their .210 April average was the worst in the majors. Over the previous two seasons, excluding two March games, their best month has been May at .277.

"We haven't produced," manager Jeff Banister said. "We're not where we want to be or where we're going to be. The numbers say we need to be better and we're going to be better."

The offensive shortcomings have placed plenty of pressure on Colby Lewis, who has received a 2.63 run-support average in four starts. Lewis (1-2, 3.75) yielded two runs and four hits in five innings of Saturday's 4-1 road loss to the Angels.

His win came 3-1 on April 7 in Oakland, surrendering a run and three hits in six innings. In his last 12 starts against the A's, the right-hander is 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA. Stephen Vogt is 0 for 8 against Lewis and Eric Sogard is 1 for 9.

Updated April 30, 2015