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Shin-Soo Choo didn’t play Saturday night for the Texas Rangers because of a sore right quad [url=http://www.washingtonredskinsteamonline.com/pernell-mcphee-jersey]Authentic Pernell McPhee Jersey[/url] , putting on hold his majors-best 41-game streak of reaching base.

Choo said before the 13-4 win over the Chicago White Sox that he has been dealing with quad soreness for at least 10 days, and that it had really bothered him the last couple of days.

”I don’t want to make it worse,” Choo said. ”I don’t think it’s serious.”

The outfielder/designated hitter said he had an MRI earlier Saturday to find out for sure what he was feeling in his upper leg.

Choo had a leadoff walk in the first inning of an 11-3 win Friday night to extend his career-best on-base streak and match the longest in the majors this season. He later hit one of the Rangers’ five home runs for a 12-game hitting streak that is the longest active streak in the majors.

”He’s battled with a tight quad and I felt like it was just an opportunity to get him off his legs, give him a day,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”He’s played through it for a while, so we’ll see how he feels.”

Banister hadn’t ruled out using Choo in a pinch-hitting role, and Choo had said he was willing if needed. The three-game series wraps up Sunday before the Rangers have a day off Monday.

”I know I have the streak going on, but my body and staying healthy is more important [url=http://www.baltimoreravensteamauthentic.com/anthony-averett-jersey]Authentic Anthony Averett Jersey[/url] ,” Choo said. ”And winning games is more important than records.”

Choo’s on-base streak is the longest for the Rangers since Otis Nixon’s 44-gamer in 1995; Julio Franco set the team record by reaching in 46 consecutive games in 1993. Choo matched Philadelphia’s Odubel Herrera for the longest in the majors this season. Herrera, a former Rangers minor leaguer, reached base in the first 41 games for the Phillies this year.

In his 41-game streak, Choo has reached base 90 times. He has hit .333 (52 of 156) with 38 walks.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates, jockeying for first place in the National League Central the first several weeks of the season, go into a weekend series against Cincinnati looking at the possibility of spiraling into the cellar conversation with the Reds.

Pittsburgh (33-35) is eight games up on Cincinnati (25-43) but has fallen to fourth in the division and created some separation from the top three clubs by going 6-18 in its past 24 games.

The Reds come to PNC Park with a three-game winning streak.

Cincinnati right-hander Matt Harvey (1-4, 5.97 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Pirates right-hander Chad Kuhl (4-4, 3.95) on Friday.

Both teams had a day off Thursday.

The Pirates are coming off a 5-4 win on Wednesday at Arizona that concluded a 2-4 road trip. Friday’s game launches a 10-game [url=http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/russell-bodine-jersey]Authentic Russell Bodine Jersey[/url] , 10-day homestand.

They have been plagued in recent games by a plethora of problems, from defensive lapses to baserunning blunders, blown leads to offensive droughts.

“We’re going to get home and figure a lot of things out,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said.

Shortstop Jordy Mercer, who was 7-for-17 with a homer and four RBIs on the road trip, believes the Pirates can turn things around.

“It’s the ebb and flow of the season,” he said. “You’re going to get into some of these situations where things don’t go your way.

“We’re able to relax a little bit now. We got a win. Hopefully, we can scratch another one out and roll with some momentum [url=http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/phillip-gaines-jersey]Authentic Phillip Gaines Jersey[/url] , especially at home with a 10-game homestand. Hopefully, we’ll get some momentum at home and carry it into the next road trip.”

The Reds are coming off a 7-0 win on Wednesday at Kansas City and are looking to get their rotation into a prolonged groove.

They have gotten back-to-back quality starts after going 15 games without one. During the winning streak, their rotation has a 1.40 ERA after ranking last in the major leagues with a 5.68 ERA.

“You get that, you’re going to win ballgames. You’re going to win your share anyway,” Cincinnati manager Jim Riggleman said of the recent improvement.

It falls on Harvey, who was acquired from the New York Mets on May 8 and will be making is seventh start with Cincinnati, to continue that. The Reds won in Harvey’s first three starts, then lost in his past three.

Last Friday [url=http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/marshall-newhouse-jersey]Authentic Marshall Newhouse Jersey[/url] , Harvey gave up three homers in his first three innings against St. Louis in a 7-6, 10-inning loss, then settled down in his subsequent three innings.

“That one had more well-thrown pitches than any of the games that he’s pitched … but the select few bad pitches he made really hurt him,” Riggleman said.

Harvey is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh.

Kuhl has allowed seven runs in his past four starts, totaling 23 1/3 innings. Most recently, he gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings last Friday in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

In four career starts against the Reds, Kuhl is 1-1 with a 2.78 ERA.
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