Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Rangers Starter Dane Dunning Yet to Beat Astros
With three strikeouts against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, Dane Dunning can pass his career high for strikeouts in a season as the Texas Rangers resume their season after an off-day.
Dunning (3-6, 4.19 ERA) has already surpassed his career high for innings pitching in a season, as he’s sitting on 125 innings going into his career-high tying 25th start of the season.
Dunning has 112 strikeouts and his season-best of 114 was set last season with the Rangers.
His ERA in his last three starts is 5.28, during which he’s given up nine earned runs in 15 1/3 innings. But since he returned from the injured list on July 26, Dunning has made six starts and gone 2-0 with a 3.51 ERA, giving up just 13 earned runs in 33 1/3 innings. That’s dropped his season ERA from 4.42 during that span.
His last start came against at Colorado On Aug. 23, taking a no-decision in a 7-6 loss. Dunning pitched five innings, giving up seven hits, four runs (all earned), no walks and four strikeouts.
The Astros are the only AL West team Dunning hasn’t claimed a win against. In four appearances and three starts against Houston, Dunning is 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA, and in his two starts this season he’s had two no-decisions. Both games were in Arlington and he gave up just two earned runs in 11 2/3 innings.
That could play to Dunning’s favor, as he’s proven to be comfortable at Globe Life Field this season. Dunning is 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA at home. He’s on an eight-game undefeated streak and his home ERA is two points lower than his road ERA (5.25). Plus, seven of Dunning’s 10 quality starts this season have come at home.
He enters the game ranked among the staff leaders in starts (second, 24), innings pitched (second, 129), quality starts (second, 10) and strikeouts (third, 112). He has the AL’s second-highest ground-ball percentage (54.5 percent) behind only Houston’s Framber Valdez (68.5 percent).
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