Andrus, Rangers look to stay hot vs. Indians
Elvis Andrus hasn't been shy about flustering the Cleveland Indians in his career.
After scoring the lone run in the opener, Andrus aims to agitate the Indians on Tuesday as the visiting Texas Rangers attempt to push their winning streak to a season-high six games.
Andrus ripped a triple to lead off the fourth inning before coming home on Nomar Mazara's sacrifice fly for the game's lone run in Texas' 1-0 win on Monday.
The 30-year-old Andrus also had a single to finish 2-for-4 in the opener and improve to 101-for-273 (.370) in 72 career encounters with the Indians. He has hit safely in 10 straight games versus Cleveland.
"We're just battling, man, the way we scratched and clawed," Texas manager Chris Woodward told reporters of his team, which is bidding to match its unbeaten run from June 22-28.
"Their guy (right-hander Aaron Civale) pitched pretty well, but obviously, Elvis legging out a triple and Maz hitting a sac fly is what it came down to. That was good. We needed that."
Mazara carries an eight-game hitting streak (13-for-30, two homers, six RBIs) into Tuesday's tilt against Cleveland rookie right-hander Zach Plesac (6-3, 3.41 ERA), who will bid to win his fourth straight start.
Plesac improved to 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA at home after allowing four runs on six hits in five innings of a 10-4 victory against Houston on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old was also victorious in his lone career meeting with Texas, permitting just one run on two hits in seven innings of a 10-3 triumph on June 18.
Texas will turn to right-hander Ariel Jurado (6-6, 4.92), who owns a 1-2 mark with a 7.20 ERA in his last four starts after receiving a no-decision in his last outing.
Jurado yielded four runs (three earned) on seven hits in four innings versus Seattle last Tuesday.
The 23-year-old will be receiving his first look at the Indians, although Yasiel Puig is 2-for-2 against him in his career.
Jason Kipnis is riding a six-game hitting streak (9-for-23, three homers, nine RBIs) into Tuesday's tilt, although he lamented coming up short with Jose Ramirez at third base in the ninth inning of the series opener.
"It's one I'd love to have back," Kipnis said after the Indians saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt and fell for just the sixth time in their last 22 contests.
"There aren't many other people I'd rather have up there than me right now. (Jose Leclerc) made his pitch and got out of it.
"Like I said, I'd love to have it back, but it doesn't work like that. So you move on to tomorrow."
Woodward admitted that Leclerc likely will be well rested after securing the save in the opener.
"That's a big one for Jose and I think he'll sleep good tonight because that's his first real save opportunity since (regaining the closer job)," Woodward said. "Obviously, this is a big series for us and we want to see if we can get back in this thing."
--Field Level Media