The American League West-leading Texas Rangers will turn to rookie left-hander Cody Bradford on Tuesday night to take another step toward their first playoff berth since 2016 when they take on the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif.
Texas won the first game of the three-game series on Monday, 5-1, thanks to four solo homers.
Bradford (4-2, 4.65ERA) is facing his eighth career start as he helps fill the rotation spot vacated by the health issue of three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer. A muscle strain in his right knee forced Scherzer to withdraw Sept. on the 15-day injured list. 13.
Bradford hadn’t made a decision in his first appearance against the Angels, a June 13 start in Arlington, Texas. He allowed one run with only two hits in 4 1/3 innings in a game that saw the Rangers bullpen implode in a 7-3 loss. He walked one and knocked out three.
Reid Detmers (3-10, 4.64ERA) will leave for Los Angeles (70-87). Detmers, who is 2-2 against the Rangers with a 3.95 era in eight career starts, is 1-1 against Texas this year with a 2.08 era in three starts.
The 24-year-old left-hander performed well in the finishing straight, posting an mpm of 2.04 over three starts in September. he has allowed six runs (four earned) and 17 hits in 17 2/3 innings pitched, while scoring 19 hits and walking three This month.
Texas (88-68) lowered its magic number to two for clinching a playoff berth Monday in a game with back-to-back sixth-inning home runs off Adolis Garcia, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe.
Marcus Semien also scored for the Rangers, who maintained a 2 1/2-game lead over Houston (86-71) in the Division and extended their lead over third-place Seattle (84-72) to four games. Texas finishes the season with four games in Seattle.
The Rangers extended their winning streak to six games, in which they scored 45 runs and hit 17 home runs. Texas also set a team record with 10 home runs over a two-game span.
The Rangers were trailing 1-0 as Garcia started the Home Run with his 37th of the season, a shot to right-center off reliever Jimmy Herget. Garver followed with his 19th foul bar to the top of left field, and Lowe then hit his 17th homer to right field.
It was the ninth time in team history that Texas has hit three straight home runs in one game and the first time since Aug. against Seattle.
“It’s not something you see a lot,” Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy said. “I have seen him many times. The first five innings we were pretty quiet and Garcia woke us up with his Home Run there.”
Meanwhile, Texas starter Jon Gray, who hadn’t gotten out of the fourth inning on any of his last three starts while compiling an ugly 10.38 era, allowed only one Logan O’hoppe home run and five hits while scoring seven sixes to earn his ninth victory.
