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Rangers-Marlins Preview

Jun 16, 2010 - 5:11 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Texas (35-28) at Florida (31-32), 7:10 p.m. EDT

After losing the opener of their current nine-game interleague road trip, the Texas Rangers have quickly turned things around.

The AL West-leading Rangers try for a fourth consecutive victory when they continue their series with the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night.

Former Marlins catcher Matt Treanor delivered a pinch-hit, two-run triple in the ninth inning to help Texas (36-28) rally for a 3-2 win over Florida in Tuesday's opener.

The Rangers have won three in a row since losing 6-2 in the opener of the trip at Milwaukee on Friday - their only defeat in their last seven games. Texas also has won five of seven on the road in June, where it was 8-15 before this month.

Vladimir Guerrero singled Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, while Josh Hamilton added two hits and an RBI to extend his to a career-high 11 games.

Hamilton, 17 for 40 with 18 RBIs during that span, is batting .380 during a 13-game interleague hitting streak.

"I don't think it's all about me," Hamilton told the Rangers' official website. "I feel like it's a team effort ... not if I do good, the team will do good. There are four or five guys who need to do good, not just one guy."

Tommy Hunter (2-0, 1.80 ERA) is one person the Rangers appear ready to rely on once again.

After opening the season on the disabled list with an oblique strain, Hunter looks to remain perfect as he makes his third start since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The right-hander, who turns 24 next month, threw a complete game in a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay in his season debut June 5. Then he allowed three runs in six innings of a 12-3 win over Seattle on Thursday.

"You're going to be excited about what you did, but you've got another start in five days," said Hunter, who went 9-6 with a 4.10 ERA during his first full season in 2009.

Hunter allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 2-0 loss to San Diego in his only interleague appearance June 28.

He'll be opposed by Anibal Sanchez (6-3, 3.36 ERA), who will go for his sixth win in seven starts while facing the Rangers for the first time.

Sanchez, a right-hander, allowed four runs in seven innings of a 14-9 win at Tampa Bay on Friday to improve to 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA since May 13. With that victory, Sanchez improved to 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in interleague action.

Hanley Ramirez's two-run homer in the sixth inning Tuesday gave Florida (31-33) a 2-1 lead, but the Marlins could not hold on and fell for the sixth time in nine games.

Florida's highly touted rookie Mike Stanton looks to bounce back after he went 0 for 4 in his home debut. The outfielder is still batting .304 in six games since being called up from the minors June 8.

"Let's not forget, this kid's 20 years old," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He's still got to develop. We've got to take our time. ... Now, he's just a regular other guy."