The Texas Rangers will renew their quest to get back into contention in the American League West as they wrap up a three-game set with the host Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon. Texas arrived in Toronto on a five-game winning streak but dropped the first two games of the series, most recently falling 7-3 on Saturday. The Blue Jays were able to keep their bullpen fresh in that victory, as starter Kevin Gausman logged his second complete game of the season.
With their modest skid, the Rangers have fallen 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West. They are also 3 1/2 games behind the second-place Seattle Mariners. Toronto is out to finish its nine-game homestand with a winning record, and it will send right-hander Jose Berrios (8-8, 4.
08 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. Berrios, who is 2-1 with a 6.75 ERA in six career starts against Texas, most recently took a loss against the Tampa Bay Rays after yielding three runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday.
Right-hander Jon Gray (5-4, 3.73) is scheduled to start for the Rangers. Gray came away with a win in his latest outing, holding the Chicago White Sox to one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings on Tuesday in a 3-2 victory.
He is 2-0 with a 5.85 ERA in four career starts against the Blue Jays. While the Rangers have lacked offensive firepower this season, it was their pitching staff that betrayed them on Saturday.
Starter Michael Lorenzen was rocked for four runs on five hits in just two-thirds of an .