Two teams eager to turn the calendar will do just that on Tuesday when the visiting Texas Rangers begin a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.
Texas is looking to end a 12-game road losing streak, while Colorado closed the month of May by losing 15 of its last 23 games.
The Rangers have also lost six in a row overall, but right fielder Joey Gallo said the team remains optimistic.
“We know we’re losing and nobody’s excited about losing,” Gallo said. “Especially on the road, we haven’t been playing well lately. But everybody’s still showing up to the park, still asking how we are going to get better. I think that’s a great mentality to have.”
Gallo is 6-for-20 with two home runs and four RBIs during his six-game hitting streak for the Rangers, who have fallen a season-worst 11 games under .500.
Texas hopes to end its road woes against a Colorado team that received a much-needed spark from outfielder Charlie Blackmon on Sunday.
Blackmon had three extra-base hits to help the Rockies snap a five-game losing streak in a 4-3 win at Pittsburgh.
“No matter what kind of bad skid we’re on, we’re still going to grind through every single at-bat and try to win a ballgame,” Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland said. “Definitely a good win for us. We definitely needed it, especially with this rough road trip that we’ve been having.”
Colorado was shut out in both games of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh on Saturday without shortstop Trevor Story, who landed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Brendan Rodgers figures to receive most of the starts in place of Story, but the 24-year-old has struggled since returning from the injured list on May 21.
Rodgers batted .348 in spring training but is hitless in his last 10 at-bats and is 5-for-26 with seven strikeouts this season.
He’ll look to get going against Texas starter Dane Dunning (2-4, 4.75 ERA), who gave up a career-high seven runs on seven hits over four innings in last Wednesday’s 9-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The 26-year-old right-hander, who is making his first appearance against the Rockies, owns an 0-3 record and 7.97 ERA in five road starts this season covering 20 1/3 innings.
Colorado will turn to right-hander German Marquez (3-5, 4.47), who has allowed one run with 14 strikeouts over his last two starts across 13 innings.
Marquez gave up one run, struck out six and recorded his third career complete game in last Thursday’s seven-inning, 1-0 loss to the New York Mets.
The 26-year-old is 0-2 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts versus Texas.
While the Rangers have matched a team record for most consecutive road losses set in 2003, one bright spot continues to be the play of rookie outfielder Adolis Garcia.
Garcia entered Monday tied for the major league lead in homers with 16 after hitting .312 with 11 homers and 27 RBIs in the month of May.
Colorado’s top power source has been infielder Ryan McMahon, who leads the team with 13 homers and has gone deep four times in his past 10 games.
–Field Level Media
