CLEVELAND — The Texas Rangers gained a half-game in
the AL wild card race despite having the opener of a three-game series against
the Cleveland Indians postponed by rain Monday night.
Texas moved within 2 1/2 games of Boston, which lost to
the Chicago White Sox, 5-1. The Rangers could not pick up more ground as they
never got started. The teams will try to make it up Tuesday as part of a
doubleheader beginning at 5:05 p.m.
"It's Labor Day, so we should be working," Indians
manager Eric Wedge said. "We wanted to play."
Both Wedge and Texas manager Ron Washington will keep
their starting rotations intact.
Right-handers Tommy Hunter (7-3) of Texas and Carlos
Carrasco (0-1) of the Indians are scheduled to start the first game. Rangers
right-hander Brandon McCarthy (6-2) will face left-hander Aaron Laffey (7-4) in
the second game.
"We'll keep it the same," Washington said, adding that he
hopes the rain gave the Rangers' road-weary hitters enough rest to come back
strong. Texas is at the end of a stretch of playing 25 of 36 games on the road
and has not scored in its last 15 innings – since the third inning on Saturday
in Baltimore.
The Rangers' lineup could get a boost as outfielder
Andruw Jones is due to be activated Tuesday. He has been sidelined since Aug. 25
with a strained left hamstring.
"It would be huge if Jones could step up," Washington
said. "It certainly would help if he could catch fire down the stretch."
The Rangers will still be without outfielder Josh
Hamilton and third baseman Michael Young. Hamilton received a second shot for a
pinched nerve in his back Monday is not expected to return until at least next
weekend. Young, batting .322 with 22 homers and 67 RBIs, has missed four games
with a strained left hamstring.
Washington said Omar Vizquel will start at third base in
the first game and Esteban German will play third in the second game. He also
plans to have Ivan Rodriguez catch the first game and Taylor Teagarden catch the
second game.
The rain delayed the Indians debut of catcher Lou
Marson, called up from Triple-A Columbus and tabbed to catch Carrasco. Both were
acquired by Cleveland from Philadelphia when 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and
outfielder Ben Francisco were traded to the Phillies for four players on July
29.