• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Cubs-Rangers Preview

May 22, 2010 - 5:53 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Chicago (19-23) at Texas (24-18), 7:10 p.m. EDT

In his return to Texas, former Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo showed he still has work to do to fix the Chicago Cubs.

The Rangers, meanwhile, seem to be doing just fine without him.

Texas looks to extend its season-high win streak to six Saturday night against the Cubs, losers of 12 of their last 13 interleague road games.

Jaramillo spent 15 seasons with the Rangers and tutored AL MVPs Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and Alex Rodriguez. Texas led the majors in homers by a wide margin during his tenure and tied for the fifth-best average (.274).

Jaramillo declined a contract offer from Texas in the offseason and signed with the Cubs, who saw their average drop from .278 in 2008 to .255 last season. So far this year, Chicago (19-24) has seen some improvement at .267, but inconsistent run production has played a part in its disappointing start.

The Cubs have averaged 3.5 runs since a 14-7 win over Cincinnati on May 7 - and were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position in Friday night's 2-1 loss. Their lone tally in the opener of a three-game series was on a second-inning double play.

"It's time somebody gets a big hit around here. It really is," manager Lou Piniella said. "It's really not that hard. I played 17 years. It's not like I haven't played up here. It's not that hard, it really isn't. I know everybody's trying, but it's not that hard."

The AL West-leading Rangers, meanwhile, seem to be doing fine without Jaramillo, batting .311 and averaging 5.8 runs in their last 15 games. Michael Young has batted .446 over that span and .484 during an eight-game hitting streak.

Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz delivered RBI doubles as Texas (25-18) extended a pair of win streaks Friday.

In addition to their fifth consecutive overall victory, the Rangers also won their seventh in a row at home. Texas, winners of 13 of 15 in Arlington, had a season-high, seven-game run and won eight straight at home last May.

The Rangers could reach those milestones if Derek Holland (2-0, 2.38 ERA) can replicate his first two outings. After pitching six scoreless innings in his 2010 debut, the left-hander allowed three runs over 5 1-3 innings to help the Rangers edge Los Angeles 4-3 on Monday.

"I thought he handled himself very well," manager Ron Washington told Texas' official website. "I saw a guy out there with a lot of confidence."

Confidence was probably something Holland, who has never faced the Cubs, didn't have while dropping six of his final seven starts in 2009. He began this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but went 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA in six starts before being recalled May 12.

While Holland struggled to an 8-13 finish in 2009, Chicago's Randy Wells was a surprising 12-10, but the right-hander is trying to turn around his month in Saturday's game.

Wells (3-2, 4.13), who has never faced the Rangers, went 3-0 with a 3.45 ERA in his five April starts, but he's 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three outings this month. He gave up one run over 6 2-3 innings Monday night, and Chicago won 4-2 in 11 innings over visiting Colorado.