The Toronto Blue Jays have won the first two games of their four-game series with the Texas Rangers heading into Wednesday’s contest
Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers
Toronto tallied an impressive 10-3 victory on Tuesday night and has now scored 16 runs and collected 21 hits in the series. The Blue Jays were paced by the offensive exploits of Adam Lind, who crushed two home runs and now has nine home runs and 25 RBIs in his last 12 games in Arlington. “I just had a good game tonight,” Lind commented. “I didn’t feel real great coming in.” The club has now won nine of its last 11 contests versus Texas dating back to last season. Toronto will now be looking to win its first series since April 5-7 against Oakland, while 15 of the team’s 23 games have been decided by two runs or less. The team is 8-4 in night games this season and 104-109 the last three years in that particular situation.
Blue Jays starting pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes is 0-2 with a 6.20 ERA in four starts this season, allowing batters to hit for a .329 average in the process. The left-hander is winless in his last 22 starts, making him the first pitcher to go through a drought that long since the 1996-97 campaigns. Toronto has actually won two of his four outings during the year, scoring a combined 13 runs in those two starts, while managing just two scores in the others. He will be making his second career start versus Texas, giving up two runs (one earned) and five hits in seven innings the first time around.
Texas has dropped eight of its last 12 games after a 9-1 start to the season and has compiled a 4-4 record on its current 10-game, 11-day homestand. The Rangers may be showing the effects of missing All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has been out two weeks with a fracture in his right arm. “Josh is coming along fine,” said manager Ron Washington. “He has become more visible and louder. When Josh is doing that, he’s feeling good.” Designated hitter Michael Young has been leaned on heavily offensively, batting .419 during a 15-game hitting streak that ended on Tuesday. Texas is 10-4 at home this season.
Rangers starting pitcher Derek Holland is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season, earning a win last time out in a 11-6 Texas victory over Kansas City. The left-hander hasn’t gone fewer than six innings this season and he’s gone at least seven in his last two outings. “I just want to keep the damage down and not have one of those crazy innings,” Holland stated. “Keep the same approach, keep attacking and don’t give in.” He is 1-1 with an 11.25 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays.
Bettors will likely back the Blue Jays due to their 4-0 mark in Texas, while the Rangers are 0-4 versus the American League East.
