MLB Game Preview - Texas at Milwaukee

Fri Aug 9, 2019 8:10 PM EDT

Brewers aim to keep rolling in rare Rangers visit

The Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers own similar records, but they have drastically different positions in their wild-card races.

Heading into the opener of a three-game interleague series in Milwaukee on Friday, the Brewers are in the thick of the chase among several teams dueling for the two wild-card spots in the National League, while the Rangers have fallen several games behind in the American League race.

Milwaukee (60-56) rebounded nicely from being swept last weekend at the Chicago Cubs by sweeping a three-game series in Pittsburgh.

The Brewers scored 21 runs in Pittsburgh after scoring five times against the Cubs. In Wednesday's 8-3 win, rookie Keston Hiura homered twice and drove in three runs after getting four hits in his previous 28 at-bats.

"That's the baseball season, man," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "I'm proud of our guys. There's not going to be quit. There's not going to be feeling sorry for ourselves. ... You look at the standings, and it tells you you're right in it."

Milwaukee played without slugger Christian Yelich (back) on Wednesday but is hopeful he can play Friday. Yelich has coped with back spasms and stiffness this season, problems caused by baserunning, according to Counsell.

Texas (58-56) is making its first trip to Milwaukee since 2013 and resides seven games behind Tampa Bay for the second wild-card spot. The Rangers began this month by scoring 19 runs in a three-game sweep of Detroit but mustered just two runs in losing two of three games in Cleveland.

The Rangers managed 15 hits, struck out 32 times and went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position against the Indians. The Rangers claimed a 1-0 victory Monday but dropped Wednesday's doubleheader, 2-0 and 5-1. They are 8-14 in their past 22 games.

"I don't like losing, and I don't like scoring two runs in three games," said Rangers manager Chris Woodward. "Clearly the Indians are doing something right on that side, but our guys need to ask themselves, 'How do I do better next time?' We've got to go back and look at video and see what's been going wrong.

"I hope our guys make some adjustments, because we've got to have our eyes and our ears wide open after this."

Willie Calhoun homered in the second game Wednesday and is hitting .325 (13-for-40) with four homers and 12 RBIs in his last 10 games since being promoted from Triple-A Nashville when Joey Gallo went on the injured list.

Gio Gonzalez will make his fourth start since returning from missing more than a month with left arm fatigue. Gonzalez owns a 3.68 ERA since returning and last pitched in Saturday's 4-1 loss at Wrigley Field when he allowed one run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings and picked up a no-decision.

The veteran left-hander is 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA in 11 career games (nine starts) against Texas.

Kolby Allard will make his debut for the Rangers, who acquired him from the Atlanta Braves for reliever Chris Martin at the trade deadline. Allard, who turns 23 on Tuesday, made one start for the Braves last season and owns a 12.38 ERA in three appearances.

He was 7-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 21 starts in Triple-A this season. He pitched five scoreless innings in his debut with Nashville before being promoted.

--Field Level Media