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Rangers-Giants Preview

Jun 20, 2009 - 7:04 AM By ANDY LEFKOWITZ STATS Editor

Texas (37-29) at San Francisco (35-31), 9:05 p.m. EDT

Extending a pair of lengthy winning streaks could bolster Matt Cain's hopes of playing in next month's All-Star Game for the first time.

Cain looks to win his seventh consecutive start and become the NL's first 10-game winner as the San Francisco Giants go for their 10th straight home victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night in the middle game of their series.

Cain (9-1, 2.39 ERA) hasn't lost since failing to record a decision May 12 against Washington. Over his last six starts, the right-hander has posted a 1.73 ERA, allowing one earned run or less five times.

He notched his NL-leading third complete game in that stretch Sunday, retiring 15 straight at one point and limiting Oakland to four hits with nine strikeouts in the 7-1 rout.

"That's an opportunity you want to take advantage of," Cain said about finishing games. "These guys are giving me tons of (run) support."

The Giants (35-31) have averaged 5.0 runs during his run. Facing Texas for the first time, Cain is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA in his last four interleague starts.

Rick Reuschel tied a club record by winning eight straight starts in 1989. After that, only Bill Swift (1993) and Russ Ortiz (2000) have taken seven in a row in a San Francisco uniform.

With a victory in this contest, Cain will join Minnesota's Kevin Slowey and Toronto's Roy Halladay as the only 10-game winners in the majors.

San Francisco extended its home dominance over Texas (37-29) by hitting three homers in a 6-4 triumph Friday to halt a three-game slide.

Aaron Rowand - 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts in his previous four games - finished with three hits, including a homer to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Fred Lewis added a two-run shot in the sixth to erase a 4-3 deficit, and Travis Ishikawa went deep in the eighth to close the scoring.

"I'm thankful I got a chance to get in there," said Lewis, who was mired in a 2 for 26 slump before his first homer since May 24. "I haven't had much success, and I've been working behind the scenes to get my swing back."

Michael Young homered and Marlon Byrd had a two-run single for Texas, which dropped to 2-10 all-time in San Francisco. The loss, combined with the Angels' 5-4 win over the Dodgers, reduced the Rangers' lead in the AL West to one-half game.

Rookie Derek Holland (1-4, 6.63) will try again to pick up his first career win as a starter for Texas.

After being recalled on April 18, the left-hander spent his first 3 1/2 weeks working out of the bullpen. Considered of one of the Rangers' top prospects, he's 0-3 with a 7.08 ERA in four games as a starter, and has yet to get past the sixth inning.

On Sunday, he suffered his second straight setback after surrendering four runs, five hits and four walks over five innings of a 6-3 defeat to the Dodgers.

"It's a learning process," Rangers manager Ron Washington told the team's official Web site. "He'll get there. He's learning. He's facing professional hitters. He understands that when you get into trouble, you've got to continue to pitch. You can't give in. He'll continue to get better."

Opponents are hitting .317 in Holland's starts.