Toronto Blue Jays vs Texas Rangers Live Baseball \m/ 7, 23: The Texas Rangers are back in the win column. That's a familiar place for the AL West leaders to be when playing in Arlington.
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The Rangers will try to win nine straight at home for the first time in six seasons Saturday night when they continue their series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
After posting 12 straight victories -- the second-longest streak in club history -- Texas (57-43) dropped two consecutive one-run road games to the Los Angeles Angels prior to Friday's 12-2 victory over Toronto.
Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-best eight runs -- the most by a Ranger since Ivan Rodriguez had nine on April 13, 1999 -- to help Texas improve its league-best home record to 32-18. Cruz had one RBI in his previous 11 games.
"We've been waiting for Nelson to get going, and tonight he got going," said manager Ron Washington, whose club had dropped 10 of 13 against the Blue Jays in Arlington. "When Nelson gets going, he can do exactly what he did."
Saturday's scheduled starter Matt Harrison (8-7, 2.91 ERA) would appreciate another big game from the right fielder as he tries to help Texas win nine straight in Arlington for the first time since May 20-June 13, 2005.
The left-hander has posted victories in each of his last two starts and is 5-3 with a 1.94 ERA in his last 10 outings, giving up one run or fewer seven times during this stretch. Harrison threw 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in Sunday's 3-1 win at Seattle.
"I felt good with my sinker in the bullpen today so I went out and threw a lot of those, even if I got behind in the count," he said. "If it was 2-0, 3-1, I was able to throw that pitch any time I wanted to and keep it down in the zone and make them put it in play."
The Blue Jays put plenty of balls in play against Harrison on April 26 when they tagged him for seven runs -- five in the first inning -- and eight hits in a 10-3 win in Arlington. Harrison lasted three innings.
Toronto (50-50), winner of eight of 10 heading into this series, will give the ball to Carlos Villanueva (5-2, 3.31). The right-hander is likely glad the rotation is back on track after he was reached for five runs and eight hits over six innings of Sunday's 7-2 loss to the New York Yankees. It was Villanueva's first start in 10 days due to the All-Star break.
"... I had a little bit too long of a layoff -- I expected to be a little rusty," he told the Blue Jays' official website.
Villanueva, 4-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 10 starts following 13 appearances out of the bullpen, will make his first start versus Texas after going 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in four relief appearances. He threw 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief in a 7-6 loss in Texas on April 27.
Villanueva may not have to face Adrian Beltre, who strained his left hamstring in the series opener and will have an MRI on Saturday, but Michael Young could be a tough out. He is batting .533 (16 for 30) during the Rangers' home winning streak after going 4 for 4 on Friday.
Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia, who had his third career two-homer game Friday, walked with the bases loaded and singled off Harrison on April 26.
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The Rangers will try to win nine straight at home for the first time in six seasons Saturday night when they continue their series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Todays Games:
Oakland at NY Yankees 1:05 PM StubHub Harden vs Burnett
Houston at Chicago Cubs 1:05 PM StubHub Rodriguez vs Wells
Detroit at Minnesota 4:10 PM StubHub Penny vs Baker
Atlanta at Cincinnati 4:10 PM StubHub Lowe vs Bailey
San Diego at Philadelphia 4:10 PM StubHub Latos vs Kendrick
LA Angels at Baltimore 7:05 PM StubHub Pineiro vs Bergesen
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland 7:05 PM StubHub Jackson vs Huff
St. Louis at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM StubHub Garcia vs Correia
Seattle at Boston 7:10 PM StubHub Beavan vs Beckett
Tampa Bay at Kansas City 7:10 PM StubHub Niemann vs Francis
NY Mets at Florida 7:10 PM StubHub Capuano vs Hensley
Toronto at Texas 8:05 PM StubHub Villanueva vs Harrison
Colorado at Arizona 8:10 PM StubHub Hammel vs Collmenter
Milwaukee at San Francisco 9:05 PM StubHub Wolf vs Vogelsong
Washington at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM StubHub Gorzelanny vs Lilly
Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-best eight runs -- the most by a Ranger since Ivan Rodriguez had nine on April 13, 1999 -- to help Texas improve its league-best home record to 32-18. Cruz had one RBI in his previous 11 games.
"We've been waiting for Nelson to get going, and tonight he got going," said manager Ron Washington, whose club had dropped 10 of 13 against the Blue Jays in Arlington. "When Nelson gets going, he can do exactly what he did."
Saturday's scheduled starter Matt Harrison (8-7, 2.91 ERA) would appreciate another big game from the right fielder as he tries to help Texas win nine straight in Arlington for the first time since May 20-June 13, 2005.
The left-hander has posted victories in each of his last two starts and is 5-3 with a 1.94 ERA in his last 10 outings, giving up one run or fewer seven times during this stretch. Harrison threw 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in Sunday's 3-1 win at Seattle.
"I felt good with my sinker in the bullpen today so I went out and threw a lot of those, even if I got behind in the count," he said. "If it was 2-0, 3-1, I was able to throw that pitch any time I wanted to and keep it down in the zone and make them put it in play."
The Blue Jays put plenty of balls in play against Harrison on April 26 when they tagged him for seven runs -- five in the first inning -- and eight hits in a 10-3 win in Arlington. Harrison lasted three innings.
Toronto (50-50), winner of eight of 10 heading into this series, will give the ball to Carlos Villanueva (5-2, 3.31). The right-hander is likely glad the rotation is back on track after he was reached for five runs and eight hits over six innings of Sunday's 7-2 loss to the New York Yankees. It was Villanueva's first start in 10 days due to the All-Star break.
"... I had a little bit too long of a layoff -- I expected to be a little rusty," he told the Blue Jays' official website.
Villanueva, 4-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 10 starts following 13 appearances out of the bullpen, will make his first start versus Texas after going 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in four relief appearances. He threw 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief in a 7-6 loss in Texas on April 27.
Villanueva may not have to face Adrian Beltre, who strained his left hamstring in the series opener and will have an MRI on Saturday, but Michael Young could be a tough out. He is batting .533 (16 for 30) during the Rangers' home winning streak after going 4 for 4 on Friday.
Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia, who had his third career two-homer game Friday, walked with the bases loaded and singled off Harrison on April 26.
