Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming Channel Radio Station Online Major League Baseball Video Feed May 31, 2011. Review: The Texas Rangers are finally having some success at Tropicana Field.
Winners of three straight overall, the AL West-leading Rangers look for a fifth consecutive road victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
Texas (29-25) had lost 17 of 22 at Tropicana Field before winning all three there to beat Tampa Bay in five games in last season's AL division series. The Rangers picked up where they left off from the postseason by snapping a three-game regular-season road skid to the Rays with an 11-5 win Monday.
"This is May," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It has nothing to do with last year's playoffs."
Catcher Mike Napoli hit two of Texas' four homers and drove in five as the Rangers banged out a season-high 20 hits to win for the sixth time in eight games. Napoli has homered in three straight, going 7 for 12 with four home runs and nine RBIs.
The Rangers are 11-4 when Napoli starts.
"I've thrown all the mechanics out and just trying to see the ball and hit it," said Napoli, who's batting .229 but has 10 homers and 25 RBIs.
Josh Hamilton went 2 for 5 and drove in two after going 2 for 25 with two RBIs and 10 strikeouts during his previous seven games, including the postseason, versus Tampa Bay.
The Rangers have 57 hits -- 15 homers -- and 35 runs while winning three of four.
After they roughed up Wade Davis for seven runs and 12 hits in 2 2/3 innings in the opener, the Rangers will get their first look at Alex Cobb (0-0, 8.31), who is expected to be recalled from the minors to make his second career start.
The right-hander has not pitched in the majors since he allowed four runs, four hits and walked four in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-5 home loss to the Angels on May 1.
Tampa Bay (28-25) has dropped 10 of 15 and could face a serious challenge against scheduled Rangers starter C.J. Wilson (5-3, 3.25), who looks to improve on a 2-0 record and 2.38 ERA as a starter versus the Rays.
That included a two-hit, seven-strikeout effort over 6 1/3 innings of a 2-0 win in Game 2 of the ALDS at Tampa.
The left-hander was almost that good when he gave up a run in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win over the White Sox on Wednesday. Wilson has a 2.95 ERA while going 1-1 over his last three starts.
"I'm just trying to maximize the effectiveness of the scouting report, really," Wilson told the Rangers' official website. "If I just pitch to that and stick to that, I'm pretty good."
Wilson likely will get his first look at Tampa Bay's Matt Joyce, the majors' surprise batting leader who went 2 for 4 with an RBI on Monday to raise his average to .368.
Joyce is batting .324 with seven RBIs in 13 games against Texas during the regular season and playoffs.
Tampa Bay slugger Evan Longoria went 1 for 4 on Monday and is batting .455 (5 for 11) while hitting leadoff in three straight games. Longoria, however, is 0 for 9 in the regular and postseason versus Wilson.
Winners of three straight overall, the AL West-leading Rangers look for a fifth consecutive road victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
6:40 PM ET, May 31, 2011
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
"This is May," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It has nothing to do with last year's playoffs."
Catcher Mike Napoli hit two of Texas' four homers and drove in five as the Rangers banged out a season-high 20 hits to win for the sixth time in eight games. Napoli has homered in three straight, going 7 for 12 with four home runs and nine RBIs.
The Rangers are 11-4 when Napoli starts.
"I've thrown all the mechanics out and just trying to see the ball and hit it," said Napoli, who's batting .229 but has 10 homers and 25 RBIs.
Josh Hamilton went 2 for 5 and drove in two after going 2 for 25 with two RBIs and 10 strikeouts during his previous seven games, including the postseason, versus Tampa Bay.
The Rangers have 57 hits -- 15 homers -- and 35 runs while winning three of four.
After they roughed up Wade Davis for seven runs and 12 hits in 2 2/3 innings in the opener, the Rangers will get their first look at Alex Cobb (0-0, 8.31), who is expected to be recalled from the minors to make his second career start.
The right-hander has not pitched in the majors since he allowed four runs, four hits and walked four in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-5 home loss to the Angels on May 1.
Tampa Bay (28-25) has dropped 10 of 15 and could face a serious challenge against scheduled Rangers starter C.J. Wilson (5-3, 3.25), who looks to improve on a 2-0 record and 2.38 ERA as a starter versus the Rays.
That included a two-hit, seven-strikeout effort over 6 1/3 innings of a 2-0 win in Game 2 of the ALDS at Tampa.
The left-hander was almost that good when he gave up a run in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win over the White Sox on Wednesday. Wilson has a 2.95 ERA while going 1-1 over his last three starts.
"I'm just trying to maximize the effectiveness of the scouting report, really," Wilson told the Rangers' official website. "If I just pitch to that and stick to that, I'm pretty good."
Wilson likely will get his first look at Tampa Bay's Matt Joyce, the majors' surprise batting leader who went 2 for 4 with an RBI on Monday to raise his average to .368.
Joyce is batting .324 with seven RBIs in 13 games against Texas during the regular season and playoffs.
Tampa Bay slugger Evan Longoria went 1 for 4 on Monday and is batting .455 (5 for 11) while hitting leadoff in three straight games. Longoria, however, is 0 for 9 in the regular and postseason versus Wilson.
