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Friday- 8:05 PM- Cliff Lee vs. Pedro Astacio
Saturday- 8:05 PM- Scott Elarton vs. Ryan Drese
Sunday- 2:05 PM- Jake Westbrook vs. Kenny Rogers
GameCenter Tickets
Texas vs. Cleveland
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Preview · Winning Edge
VENUE: Ameriquest Field in Arlington
GAME: Cleveland Indians (11-16) at Texas Rangers (15-14).
TIME: Friday, 8:05 p.m. EDT.
The Texas Rangers hope Alfonso Soriano has found his ideal spot in the lineup.
Soriano will try to help the Rangers win their fourth straight as they open a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians at Ameriquest Field.
Soriano has been swinging the bat better since moving down to the fifth spot in the order. He was moved out of the leadoff role last week, and has made six appearances at No. 5.
Soriano homered and drove in three runs as Texas routed the Oakland Athletics 16-7 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
"I hit the ball pretty well today but I'm still not feeling comfortable," said Soriano, who's hitting .268 with six home runs. "Now that I'm batting fifth, I have to drive in runs. I'm getting more opportunities to do that."
Mark Teixeira and Richard Hidalgo also homered as the Rangers swept a series at Oakland for the first time since April 13-15, 2001. Sandy Alomar Jr. drove in two runs.
Soriano has driven in five runs in the past two games.
"It's kind of like a relief pitcher," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "You ask yourself what is your role in the batting order. It's to get hits and drive in runs. It's not overly complicated."
Soriano has a .230 batting average with seven home runs in 39 career games against Cleveland.
The Indians have won two of their first three games of a nine-game road trip. Cleveland was held to just three hits by Twins ace Brad Radke in a 9-0 loss to Minnesota on Thursday.
Cliff Lee will take the mound in the opener against Texas. Lee is hoping to bounce back from an 8-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals in his last start on Saturday. The left-hander gave up six runs - five earned - and eight hits in five innings.
Lee pitched 14 scoreless innings to earn wins in his previous two starts against Seattle and Kansas City.
STANDINGS: Indians - 4th place, 9½ GB, AL Central. Rangers - 2nd place, 2½ GB, AL West.
INDIANS PROBABLE STARTER: Lee (2-1, 4.34 ERA). Lee is 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA in two career starts against Texas.
RANGERS PROBABLE STARTER: Pedro Astacio (1-3, 4.50 ERA). After three good starts, Astacio has been awful in his last two. The veteran righty has allowed 12 runs and 16 hits in 10 innings over that span. Astacio was roughed up for five runs and seven hits while walking five in 5 1-3 innings of a 9-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Indians - Travis Hafner, .295 avg. and 15 runs; Ron Belliard and Casey Blake, 5 HRs; Belliard, 14 RBIs; Alex Cora, 3 SBs. Rangers - Kevin Mench, .299 avg.; Mark Teixeira, 8 HRs and 19 RBIs; Dave Dellucci, 23 runs; Alfonso Soriano, 4 SBs.
2004 SEASON SERIES: Rangers, 8-1.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Indians - 2B Belliard is 3-for-19 in his career against Astacio. ... 3B Boone has one hit in his last 20 at bats. He's batting .118. ... 1B Hafner leads Cleveland with nine doubles. Rangers - 1B Teixeira is 3-for-4 with a home run and two doubles against Lee. ... RHP Astacio has not faced three major league teams: Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota, the Rangers' next three opponents. ... OF Mench has missed his three straight games with a sore elbow.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Indians - 8-8 on the road; Rangers - 6-9 at home.
INJURIES: Indians - OF Jody Gerut (knee), 15-day DL; OF Juan Gonzalez (hamstring), 15-day DL; LHP Jason Stanford (elbow), 60-day DL. Rangers - INF Greg Colbrunn (wrist), 15-day DL; RHP Carlos Almanzar (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Ryan Bukvich (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP R.A. Dickey (triceps), 15-day DL; RHP Frank Francisco (elbow), 15-day DL; LHP Erasmo Ramirez (hand), 15-day DL.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/preview/MLB_20050506_CLE@TEX
Saturday- 8:05 PM- Scott Elarton vs. Ryan Drese
Sunday- 2:05 PM- Jake Westbrook vs. Kenny Rogers
GameCenter Tickets
Texas vs. Cleveland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preview · Winning Edge
VENUE: Ameriquest Field in Arlington
GAME: Cleveland Indians (11-16) at Texas Rangers (15-14).
TIME: Friday, 8:05 p.m. EDT.
The Texas Rangers hope Alfonso Soriano has found his ideal spot in the lineup.
Soriano will try to help the Rangers win their fourth straight as they open a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians at Ameriquest Field.
Soriano has been swinging the bat better since moving down to the fifth spot in the order. He was moved out of the leadoff role last week, and has made six appearances at No. 5.
Soriano homered and drove in three runs as Texas routed the Oakland Athletics 16-7 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
"I hit the ball pretty well today but I'm still not feeling comfortable," said Soriano, who's hitting .268 with six home runs. "Now that I'm batting fifth, I have to drive in runs. I'm getting more opportunities to do that."
Mark Teixeira and Richard Hidalgo also homered as the Rangers swept a series at Oakland for the first time since April 13-15, 2001. Sandy Alomar Jr. drove in two runs.
Soriano has driven in five runs in the past two games.
"It's kind of like a relief pitcher," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "You ask yourself what is your role in the batting order. It's to get hits and drive in runs. It's not overly complicated."
Soriano has a .230 batting average with seven home runs in 39 career games against Cleveland.
The Indians have won two of their first three games of a nine-game road trip. Cleveland was held to just three hits by Twins ace Brad Radke in a 9-0 loss to Minnesota on Thursday.
Cliff Lee will take the mound in the opener against Texas. Lee is hoping to bounce back from an 8-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals in his last start on Saturday. The left-hander gave up six runs - five earned - and eight hits in five innings.
Lee pitched 14 scoreless innings to earn wins in his previous two starts against Seattle and Kansas City.
STANDINGS: Indians - 4th place, 9½ GB, AL Central. Rangers - 2nd place, 2½ GB, AL West.
INDIANS PROBABLE STARTER: Lee (2-1, 4.34 ERA). Lee is 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA in two career starts against Texas.
RANGERS PROBABLE STARTER: Pedro Astacio (1-3, 4.50 ERA). After three good starts, Astacio has been awful in his last two. The veteran righty has allowed 12 runs and 16 hits in 10 innings over that span. Astacio was roughed up for five runs and seven hits while walking five in 5 1-3 innings of a 9-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Indians - Travis Hafner, .295 avg. and 15 runs; Ron Belliard and Casey Blake, 5 HRs; Belliard, 14 RBIs; Alex Cora, 3 SBs. Rangers - Kevin Mench, .299 avg.; Mark Teixeira, 8 HRs and 19 RBIs; Dave Dellucci, 23 runs; Alfonso Soriano, 4 SBs.
2004 SEASON SERIES: Rangers, 8-1.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Indians - 2B Belliard is 3-for-19 in his career against Astacio. ... 3B Boone has one hit in his last 20 at bats. He's batting .118. ... 1B Hafner leads Cleveland with nine doubles. Rangers - 1B Teixeira is 3-for-4 with a home run and two doubles against Lee. ... RHP Astacio has not faced three major league teams: Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota, the Rangers' next three opponents. ... OF Mench has missed his three straight games with a sore elbow.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Indians - 8-8 on the road; Rangers - 6-9 at home.
INJURIES: Indians - OF Jody Gerut (knee), 15-day DL; OF Juan Gonzalez (hamstring), 15-day DL; LHP Jason Stanford (elbow), 60-day DL. Rangers - INF Greg Colbrunn (wrist), 15-day DL; RHP Carlos Almanzar (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP Ryan Bukvich (elbow), 15-day DL; RHP R.A. Dickey (triceps), 15-day DL; RHP Frank Francisco (elbow), 15-day DL; LHP Erasmo Ramirez (hand), 15-day DL.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/preview/MLB_20050506_CLE@TEX
.