--RHP Kris Benson will be activated from the disabled list Wednesday, and RHP Luis Mendoza, who loaded the bases and allowed a grand slam in his lone inning with the Rangers, will be optioned to Class AAA Oklahoma City. Benson will be available as long-relief help immediately, but it is not certain if he will stay in the bullpen or move into the rotation. RHP Scott Feldman has pitched well in his two starts while Benson has been out.
--RHP Frank Francisco recorded the last two outs of Tuesday's game to extend his scoreless-appearances streak to 13 games this season. Francisco has not allowed an earned run since becoming the closer late last August, a stretch of 24 2/3 innings over 24 outings. Francisco is 2-0 with 13 saves in that stretch. --RHP Kevin Millwood pitched into the eighth inning Monday. He has pitched at least seven innings in all six of his starts and he has outlasted his opponent in all but one outing this year. The one time he didn't outlast the opponent was against Kansas City's Zack Greinke. Both pitchers threw nine-inning complete games.
BY THE NUMBERS: 8 -- Leadoff homers for 2B Ian Kinsler in his Texas career, which ties the club record held by Mike Hargrove, Oddibe McDowell and Michael Young. Kinsler hit leadoff homers in two of three games over the weekend series against Chicago to tie the mark. He has only been hitting leadoff since the start of the 2008 season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I definitely lead the league in weird injuries. I'm embarrassed, really. Somebody asks you why you came out and you say, 'Um, I was dizzy.' And then they ask you again and you say, 'I think I got something in my eye.' I'd much rather be run over, that's more manly. I played last year with some injuries and I want to play every day. I don't want anything to keep me out of the lineup." -- C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, on the pair of strange injuries (dizziness, eye irritation) that have forced him to miss time this season.
