The Texas Rangers probably should be better than 11-6 at their home park, since they lead all American League clubs in batting (.308), home runs (30) and slugging (.547) before the hometown fans.

With a 20-14 overall record and a tentative grip on first place in the American League West, the Rangers will need all the homespun production they can muster this weekend, when they host the second-place Los Angeles Angels. There are two hitters in the Texas lineup who have been nearly unstoppable at home.

Highest Home Batting Average, 2009
(min. 50 AB)

Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Avg. . . . . .OPS
Miguel Cabrera, Det. . . . . .440. . . . . 1.271
Ian Kinsler, Tex. . . . . . . . .413. . . . . 1.268
Orlando Hudson, LAD. . . . .409. . . . . 1.152
Michael Young, Tex. . . . . .408. . . . . 1.074
Albert Pujols, StL . . . . . . .397. . . . . 1.345

Between them in 17 home games, Ian Kinsler and Michael Young have scored 32 runs. Kinsler has 15 extra-base hits among his 31 hits -- nine doubles, a triple and five homers -- and he’s driven in a team-leading 17 runs at home. Young has mostly been a singles hitter, but he’s scored 14 runs and has a .468 OBP.

In addition to the Rangers’ pair of .400 hitters at home, there are two .300 hitters in Andruw Jones (.343/.521/.686) and Elvis Andrus (.340/.380/.574). And nine Rangers are slugging better than .500 at home:

Ian Kinsler. . . . . . . . . . . .792 (leads team in R, 2B, HR, RBIs at home)
Andruw Jones . . . . . . . . .686 (12 BB, 12 R in 10 home games)
Michael Young. . . . . . . . .606 (14 R, five 2B, three HR in 17 home games)

Omar Vizquel. . . . . . . . . .583 (6-for-12 with a double)
Hank Blalock. . . . . . . . . .576 (.254-5-16 in 14 home contests)
Elvis Andrus. . . . . . . . . . .574 (two 2B, three 3B and HR at home)

Nelson Cruz . . . . . . . . . .541 (.295-4-16 in 17 home games)
Jarrod Saltalamacchia.. . .526 (three 2B, two HR in 12 games at home)
Marlon Byrd. . . . . . . . . .517 (seven 2B, 10 RBIs in 13 home contests)

Light-hitting first baseman Chris Davis ranks 10th on the team at .491. The second-year man has 10 homers and a .521 slugging mark on the season. Behind Davis is Josh Hamilton (.388), who has been out with a ribcage injury and just came off the disabled list Tuesday.

Friday’s series opener is a matchup of top-flight starters. Kevin Millwood (3-3, 2.92) pitches for the Rangers; Joe Saunders (5-1, 2.66) works for the Angels. It may be the best chance for a pitchers’ duel in Texas this weekend, though Rangers hitters will face a stiff pitching challenge in each of the three games.

On Saturday, John Lackey will make his 2009 debut after rehabbing an elbow ailment all spring. In Sunday’s finale, the Rangers will face Jered Weaver, who is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts. The 26-year-old right-hander is a distant second in the AL ERA race, as he trails Royals ace Zach Greinke (6-1, 0.51) by nearly two earned runs per nine.