The Oakland Athletics have struggled this season against the Texas Rangers. Fortunately for Oakland, the teams won't face each other for almost two months after Sunday.
The slumping Athletics (29-27) look to avoid dropping their fifth straight Sunday when they try to keep from being swept by the Rangers (29-28).Oakland fell to 2-6 against its AL West rival on Saturday after losing 8-4. The Athletics opened the series Friday with a 3-1 loss, and have dropped four straight overall, including the final two games of a series against Toronto. They've been outscored 25-6 in their last four games.
Outside of a 12-6 win at Texas on May 11, Oakland has scored 18 runs in its other seven games against the Rangers. Emil Brown, who leads the A's with 37 RBIs, is just 6-for-34 (.176) with four RBIs against Texas this season.
"It seems like we're kind of flat when we play (Texas)," Oakland designated hitter Jack Cust said. "I don't know what this is."
After Sunday, Oakland and Texas don't meet again until July 25 when they start a three-game series at McAfee Coliseum.
The Rangers had 14 hits Saturday with Ian Kinsler, Michael Young and Frank Catalanotto each having three apiece. Josh Hamilton homered and drove in three runs. He's hitting .326 with 14 homers and a major league-leading 61 RBIs.
Texas moved above .500 for the first time since April 10, when it was 5-4. The Rangers went 19-10 in May.
"We came out of spring training knowing we can play," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It just took us a while to put it together. None of us is thinking about just being a game over .500. We want to get further than that."
With a win Sunday, Texas would move ahead of Oakland into second place in the AL West. The Angels lead the division by 3 1/2 games over the A's.
The Rangers send Scott Feldman (1-2, 4.57) to the mound Sunday looking for the series sweep. Feldman is winless in his last three starts, and has not pitched since allowing five runs and six hits in six innings of a 5-2 loss to Cleveland on May 24.
The right-hander went 1-1 with a 2.19 ERA in two starts against Oakland in May this year.
Greg Smith (3-4, 2.84) counters for the A's, looking to win back-to-back games following a four-decision losing streak when he takes the mound Sunday.
Smith pitched 6 2-3 scoreless innings against Toronto on Tuesday, allowing six hits in the 3-1 win. The rookie left-hander had gone 0-4 with a 3.41 ERA in his previous five starts, including three straight losses.
Smith is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against the Rangers this season. He allowed one run and three hits in six innings against them at home on May 4 in a 3-1 win.
