Grimm tries to pitch Rangers to series win over Chicago
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Virginia-born right-hander Justin Grimm aims for a third straight victory on Thursday night when the Texas Rangers host the Chicago White Sox in the rubber match of a three-game series at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
A 24-year-old, Grimm debuted for 2013 with four innings of work in a no- decision against Seattle - a game Texas won, 4-3 - and has since strung together consecutive defeats of the Mariners and Minnesota for the second and third wins of his career.
He was 1-1 in five appearances last season for the Rangers, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2010 draft.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
In the two April victories, Grimm allowed 11 hits and one earned run in 13 innings with one walk and 13 strikeouts.
He gave up three runs in three innings of a single relief outing against the White Sox last season.
For Chicago, veteran Jake Peavy makes his 289th career appearance and fifth against the Rangers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The 31-year-old is 0-2 in four previous starts against Texas while allowing 18 runs in 21 1/3 innings and a .294 opposition batting average.
He was 1-1 this season after two starts, but has since gone 2-0 in three outings while lowering his earned run average from 5.56 to 3.38.
In his last start, on April 26 against Tampa Bay, Peavy gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 5-4 victory.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
On Wednesday, Conor Gillaspie broke a tie game with a solo homer in the seventh inning and the White Sox took the middle game of the series, 5-2, to snap a three-game skid.
Alejandro De Aza tacked on a two-run homer after Gillaspie's blast to back a strong start from Chris Sale (3-2), who remained perfect against the AL West by scattering six hits and two runs over seven innings of work.
Rangers rookie Nick Tepesch (2-2) took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 frames. Jeff Baker hit a solo homer and Ian Kinsler went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Texas' third loss in four games.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The White Sox won six of nine meetings with Texas last season.