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Sep 6, 2009 - 1:10 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Texas (76-58) at Baltimore (54-81), 1:35 p.m. EDT

The Texas Rangers have played well of late, but still can't afford too many slips on their current road trip against two of the AL's weaker teams.

Trying for their first postseason berth since 1999, the Rangers look to bounce back from their latest loss and take the series with the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.

David Murphy hit a two-run homer and Marlon Byrd had two RBIs, but Texas (76-59) couldn't hold an early three-run lead and had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 5-4 loss at Baltimore on Saturday.

Though the Rangers have won eight of 13, they remain two games behind wild-card leader Boston, which has been outscored 17-3 in losing the first two of a four-game set against the Chicago White Sox. Texas also remains in striking distance of the first-place Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.

"Things didn't change. We're still in the same spot," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We still have to come back (Sunday) and do what we wanted to do anyway - win the series."

Texas knows it has to make the most of this six-game trip against the last-place Orioles (55-81) and lowly Cleveland. The Rangers are 5-4 this season against Baltimore, which snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday and is 15-33 since the All-Star break.

"I think my motivation is when you see the other team in the other clubhouse, they're contending for the playoffs," said Baltimore's Melvin Mora, who homered and drove in three runs Saturday. "When you see guys play like it's the playoffs, that comes into my body. I'm going to play like it's the playoffs, too."

Texas' slugger Josh Hamilton was back with the team Saturday after leaving Wednesday's 6-4 win over Toronto with a pinched nerve in his back.

Hamilton, who hit .342 in August, has been on the disabled list twice this season. It's uncertain when he will return to the lineup.

"When he says he's ready, he's back out there," said Washington, whose team did not get a hit after the third inning Saturday.

Murphy is batting .368 in his last five games and has two home runs with five RBIs against Baltimore this season.

After ace Kevin Millwood allowed all five runs in five innings Saturday, the Rangers hope rookie Derek Holland (7-9, 5.63 ERA) can avoid losing a third straight start when he makes his first against Baltimore.

The left-hander, 5-8 in 16 starts, allowed a career-high 10 runs in three innings of an 18-10 loss to Toronto on Monday. Holland has given up 16 runs and walked six in nine innings over his last two starts.

The Orioles counter with Jeremy Guthrie (9-13, 5.18), who's 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA since Aug. 21.

The right-hander allowed two runs in six innings of a 5-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday.

Guthrie is 2-0 with a 4.07 ERA in four starts against Texas, but didn't earn a decision after giving up three runs in five innings of a 6-4 loss to the Rangers on April 27.

Mora is 4 for 7 in the series, while rookie Nolan Reimold is 8 for 15 with two homers in his last four contests for Baltimore.