Orioles, Rangers bring hot streaks into 3-game series

Two of baseball’s biggest surprises meet this weekend when the Baltimore Orioles opens a three-match series against the guest Texas Rangers on Friday

THE Rangers, coming off their sixth straight losing season, have won five of their last six games to improve to 31-18. They are three games ahead of the defending World Series champion Houston Astros atop the American League West

“It’s close to what I was hoping for,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “I wanted us to start well. I thought that was important.”

THE Rangers On Thursday, they played two of three games against the Pittsburgh Pirates to start a nine-game road trip that ends with a three-game series against the Tigers.

THE Orioles, who posted his first winning season since 2016 last year, is expected to fight for a wild card. However, after taking three games against the host Toronto Blue Jays and then taking two of three against the host New York Yankees, Orioles 33-17 – Best 50-game start since 1997 (35-15)

They have the second-best record in the majors, trailing only the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (37-15).

“It was great and we had a chance to win night after night,” Baltimore outfielder Austin Hays said.

THE Orioles They are coming off a 3-1 win over the Yankees on Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Kyle Gibson gave up just two singles in seven shutout innings. Anthony Santander and Hays provided the big hits with a run-scoring single in the fifth and a two-run double in the eighth. Santander went 3-3 with a walk.

“It was a huge series win and (Friday) Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said

Baltimore took two of three in the Rangers the teams won the opener 2-0 in the first game of the season on April 3, and then won the second game 7-2. Texas avoids sweep, wins 5-2, first win over team Orioles in nine meetings

THE Orioles On Friday, he’ll hand the ball over to rookie Grayson Rodriguez (2-1, 6.21 ERA), who is off to a solid start in his last start. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings in a no-decision in Toronto on Saturday.

Rodriguez, who didn’t last more than 5 2/3 innings in one outing, made his major league debut. Rangers on April 5. He took no part in the decision after allowing two runs on four hits with five strikeouts and a walk in five innings.

Texas right-hander Jon Gray (4-1, 3.02), who starts Friday, pitched well in the Orioles when he last faced them. Gray took the loss despite allowing just two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 6 1/3 innings in a 2-0 loss on April 3.

In three starts against Baltimore, Gray is 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA.

Gray was sharp on Saturday, allowing just five hits with six strikeouts and two walks over five innings in an 11-5 win over the visiting Colorado Rockies.

— Field Level Media