MLB Game Preview - Texas at NY Yankees

Tue Sep 3, 2019 6:35 PM EDT

Even in games when their potent offense did little, the New York Yankees were able to score a run.

Until Monday, they scored at least once in 220 straight games, the second-longest streak in baseball history.

After going scoreless for the first time in more than a year, New York's offense hopes to rebound Tuesday when the Yankees continue a three-game series with the visiting Texas Rangers.

New York mustered six hits against left-hander Mike Minor and two relievers Monday in a 7-0 loss. It was the Yankees' first shutout defeat since being held to two hits in an 11-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox on June 30, 2018.

"I think it's a credit to (the Yankees hitters) and how consistent they've been and as a group how tough they are to get through on a daily basis," said New York manager Aaron Boone, whose team is averaging 5.8 runs per game and scored 1,247 runs during the streak. "I guess, eventually, unfortunately that one will probably fall, but I think it speaks to how good of a group they've been over that time."

The Yankees still have won six of their past eight games, but a loss on Tuesday would mark their first home series defeat since dropping two of three from the Chicago White Sox from April 12-14. The Yankees are 17-0-3 in their past 20 home series.

Texas is attempting to win three straight road games for the first time since June 25-28 after Jose Trevino, Delino DeShields and Shin-Soo Choo homered Monday.

Overall, the Rangers are 8-11 since they were last at .500 on Aug. 14. Other than four games at Baltimore this weekend, their remaining games are against playoff contenders.

"We kind of know where we are right now," Minor said. "If we are going to be good next year or many years from now, then we have to go through those things. We have to play them and play them well. We have new guys, new faces. They have to show us what they have. We have to play those teams next year if we are going to make it to the playoffs. The message has been brought to our attention."

New York's James Paxton (11-6, 4.39 ERA) will attempt to match a career best by winning his seventh straight start. Paxton prevailed in seven straight starts from July 2-Aug. 4, 2017, with Seattle and is 6-0 with a 3.57 ERA since his last defeat on July 26 in Boston.

Paxton kept the streak going Wednesday when he allowed two runs on one hit in five innings while working around five walks in a 7-3 victory at Seattle.

The left-hander is 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA in 13 career starts against Texas.

Edinson Volquez (0-0, 6.23 ERA) will be the opener for Texas before Ariel Jurado (7-10, 5.19) takes the bulk of the innings. Volquez pitched a scoreless inning Sunday against Seattle after missing nearly five months with a sprained right elbow.

Jurado is 2-1 with an 0.84 ERA in 11 relief appearances and 5-9 with a 6.21 ERA in 17 starts. In a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, he entered in the second inning and pitched six innings of two-hit ball, becoming the first Texas reliever since Danny Darwin in 1980 to win a game with at least six scoreless relief innings.

Jurado's lone appearance against the Yankees was in New York on Aug. 9, 2018, when he allowed six runs and seven hits (four homers) in five innings.

--Field Level Media