Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - 8/1/2013

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Equally as important for Arizona was Wade Miley (8-8, 3.68 ERA) going 6.1 scoreless innings, despite 116 pitches thrown. The Diamondbacks were 4-of-12 with Runners In Scoring Position.

Texas tipped the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 later Wednesday to cap a three-game sweep. The Rangers won it during the bottom of the ninth off of Adrian Beltre's walk-off HR to left field. Earlier Nelson Cruz homered also to left. Martin Perez (3-3, 3.93 ERA) went 7.1 outstanding frames.

Yu Darvish (9-5, 2.80 ERA), a loser in eight of his 11 starts, delivers Thursday for Texas. Darvish has taken four losses in that span, allowing 12 runs, 11 earned, during 24 innings. Twice Darvish conceded a run during six frames to fall 1-0 at the Cleveland Indians and to the Oakland Athletics.

Darvish is 6-3 at Rangers Ballpark winning his first three trips over the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners yielding seven runs during 18 innings. At Arizona May 27 Darvish went 7.2 frames, bleeding for four runs in a 5-4 D-Backs victory. Arizona is 9-of-34 with five RBIs, three belonging to Didi Gregorius versus Darvish.

The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, seek their fourth straight win with Randall Delgado (3-3, 3.48 ERA) going. The last two starts have been Delgado decisions, starting with a 3-1 victory at the San Francisco Giants. In victories at the New York Mets and SF Delgado, surrendered two runs during 12.2 frames.

The Atlanta Braves hurdled Delgado 3-0 June 28 due to bringing in two runs during six frames. Texas is 2-of-18 with a Cruz RBI versus Delgado. The Rangers need to score because Darvish will unlikely be able to contain Arizona.