News » The Texas Rangers have been one of the best teams in the major

San Diego Padres in a three-game interleague series beginning Monday at Globe Life Park in Arlington Greedy Williams Jersey , Texas.

San Diego will send left-hander Joey Lucchesi (3-3, 3.86 ERA) to the mound for the series opener and the Rangers will counter with left-hander Cole Hamels (4-6, 3.41).

Texas had its season-high seven-game winning streak snapped Sunday in Minnesota with a 2-0 loss, but still went 5-1 on the six-game, seven-day road trip to Kansas City (3-0) and Minnesota (2-1).

Twins pitcher Jose Berrios held the Rangers to three hits in seven innings, struck out a career-high 12 batters and spoiled ageless Bartolo Colon’s attempt to tie Dennis Martinez’s record of 245 wins, the most ever by a pitcher from Latin America.

Colon allowed two runs and seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts in seven innings in the loss.

“I will take those type of outings from Bartolo every time,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “You just have to tip your cap to a guy who had really good stuff. Bartolo was solid for us, great mix of fastball location, in the strike zone with all of his pitches. Just commanded the fastball all throughout Sione Takitaki Jersey , hit all quadrants and managed the game well for us.

“Bartolo threw the ball extremely well. Berrios was just really good.”

The Padres head to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on the heels of a 3-2, 11-inning loss at San Francisco on Sunday. San Diego took the lead in the top of the inning on a two-out single by Cory Spangenberg but couldn’t hold it.

On Sunday, the Padres sent right-hander Jordan Lyles to the 10-day disabled list and announced that he will have his ailing right elbow evaluated by team doctors.

Lyles was scratched from his start on Saturday afternoon with right forearm tightness, prompting an unplanned bullpen day, according to mlb.com.

Immediately before the top of the first inning, pitching coach Darren Balsley noticed Lyles awkwardly stretching his forearm after his pregame bullpen session. Balsley and manager Andy Green inquired, and the Padres decided not to take any chances.

“A 10-day break will do him well,” Green said. “He’ll rest the elbow and then hopefully come back ready to start in 10 days. He’s never had any arm issues, whatsoever, in his entire career. He doesn’t know how to gauge it off past experience. We’re very Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , very hopeful it’s nothing very serious.”

Lucchesi returned from the disabled list on Wednesday and allowed four runs in just 1 1/3 innings in a loss to Oakland. He said he felt no ill effects from a right hip strain that placed him on the shelf.

It is Lucchesi’s first career start against Texas.

Hamels will make his 16th start of the season. He leads all Texas starters in ERA (3.41), starts (15), innings (92 1/3), and strikeouts (92) and has gone 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA (20 ER/64.0 IP) in his last 10 starts to lower ERA from 4.76 to 3.41

Hamels has gone six-plus innings in his past eight starts, his second-longest streak with the Rangers, and has allowed just one earned run in 13 innings in his last two starts. He will be working on extended five days’ rest after picking up a win in the Rangers’ 4-1 victory on Tuesday in Kansas City.

Hamels has gone 9-2 with a 2.25 in 17 career starts against the Padres.

ATLANTA (10-6) vs LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-5)

Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC

OPENING LINE – Rams by 5

RECORD VS. SPREAD – Atlanta 7-9, Los Angeles 9-7

SERIES RECORD – Rams lead 47-29-2

LAST MEETING – Falcons beat Rams, 42-14 Austin Seibert Jersey , Dec. 11, 2016

LAST WEEK – Falcons beat Panthers 22-10; 49ers beat Rams 34-13

AP PRO32 RANKING – Falcons No. 9, Rams No. 4

FALCONS OFFENSE – OVERALL (8), RUSH (13), PASS (8).

FALCONS DEFENSE – OVERALL (9), RUSH (9), PASS (12).

RAMS OFFENSE – OVERALL (10), RUSH (8), PASS (10).

RAMS DEFENSE – OVERALL (19), RUSH (28) Trysten Hill Jersey , PASS (13).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Rams’ first playoff game in 13 years is against defending NFC champions. … Falcons were NFL’s highest-scoring team last year. Rams were tops this year. … Falcons in postseason for second straight year after last season ended with memorable collapse in Super Bowl. … Falcons routed Rams 42-14 at Coliseum in December 2016. Rams coach Jeff Fisher was fired next day, eventually paving way for Sean McVay, who went to high school near Atlanta. … QB Matt Ryan making sixth playoff trip in 10 years. He had 20 TD passes this season after throwing 38 last year as league MVP. … Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur was Ryan’s quarterbacks coach last season. … Falcons’ offense didn’t flow under first-year coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who coached USC at Coliseum until getting fired in 2015. … Falcons put starting LG Andy Levitre on injured reserve this week, changing O-line dynamic with Rams line-wrecker Aaron Donald looming. … Falcons WRs Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu remain among NFL’s best duos, combining for 2,147 yards and eight TDs. … Rams GM Les Snead was in Falcons’ front office for 13 years, and assistant GM Brian Xanders worked for Falcons for 14 years. … Rams earned first winning season and NFC West title since 2003 and first playoff berth since 2004 season with spectacular one-year transformation under McVay, now youngest coach to make playoffs in NFL history Connor McGovern Jersey , breaking record set by 33-year-old Ray Flaherty with Washington in 1936. … No rookie head coach won NFL playoff game in any of past four seasons. … Rams hosting wild-card playoff game for second time in franchise history, first since December 1984 in Anaheim. Rams haven’t had playoff game at Coliseum since Jan. 7, 1979. … Rams are only 4-10 at Coliseum in two seasons since relocation, going 3-4 this year. … LA went from 32nd in NFL in scoring in 2016 to first in 2017. … RB Todd Gurley led NFL with 2,093 yards from scrimmage and 19 total TDs. … Rams LT Andrew Whitworth was key to turnaround. He is 0-6 in playoffs during career spent previously with Cincinnati. Whitworth is one of six Rams with playoff experience. … Counting on new K Sam Ficken after Pro Bowl selection Greg Zuerlein got hurt last month. … Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was Falcons defensive coordinator and interim head coach in 2003. … Rams’ last playoff game was at Atlanta in January 2005. Michael Vick ran for 119 yards in Falcons’ 47-17 win. … Rams are second team in NFL history to host playoff game in temporary home stadium. Minnesota did it three years ago.

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