Griffin tries to right winless Rangers vs. A's

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers need something to go right for them after a disastrous start to the season.

Maybe it will come in the form of A.J. Griffin.

Texas is turning to the right-hander Friday to start a three-game series against his former team, the Oakland A's.

Griffin will try to right the direction of a Texas team that is off to its first 0-3 start since 2007 after twice blowing ninth-inning leads against Cleveland.

Griffin trusts in his abilities to get the job done against an Oakland team that Griffin has never faced after winning 21 games for the A's in 2012-13.

"If you don't have conviction in the pitch you're about to throw, you might as well not be on the mound," Griffin said. "You've got to trust that it's going to be the right pitch and you're going to execute the way you want to. And, even if you don't execute it the way you want to, if you throw it with conviction, better things happen than if you throw it up there not knowing whether you're supposed to throw that pitch."

If Griffin and the Rangers are able to get a lead late Friday, it will be interesting to see whether Sam Dyson has the opportunity to close out the game. Dyson has allowed eight runs in one inning, blowing two save chances. He retired just one batter Wednesday, giving up five runs in the ninth during a 9-6 loss to Cleveland.

He hopes he has a chance to redeem himself soon.

"I'm just looking forward to the next 159 games to at least get a full inning in," Dyson said. "I got an out (Wednesday). It's pretty sad. Hopefully I'll get a full inning."

Texas will face a familiar starter in Oakland's Raul Alcantara, who won a rotation spot in spring training. Alcantara has just five big league starts, but two came against Texas last September. He went 1-1 with a 4.64 ERA in 11 2/3 innings during those two games. His Sept. 17 start against the Rangers in Arlington accounted for his lone major league win, as he allowed two runs in an 11-2 victory.

He's also helping fill a void for an A's team that is without No. 1 starter Sonny Gray.

"I think his experience that he got last year was important for him going into this season, knowing that when he's locating and the breaking ball is effective, he can do well," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "He got all the firsts out of the way last year, and now he's just looking forward to getting off to a good start.

"I know he's confident going into his first start. He's a talented guy. We expect him to do well. When you lose your No. 1 starter, obviously you rely on your depth, and Raul's part of our depth."

The A's enter the weekend series in Texas coming off a four-game split with the Los Angeles Angels in Oakland. In the series finale Thursday, Ryon Healy hit a two-run homer in a four-run third inning, and the A's rolled to a 5-1 win.