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Rangers-Marlins Preview

Jun 17, 2010 - 5:04 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Texas (36-28) at Florida (31-33), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Josh Hamilton has been the Texas Rangers' hottest hitter this month. Michael Young just became the club's all-time hits leader.

The two players look to continue their superb play and lead the Rangers to a three-game sweep of the sputtering Florida Marlins on Thursday night.

Hamilton has batted .458 with seven homers and 21 RBIs as the AL West-leading Rangers (37-28) have gone 11-4 in June. The All-Star left fielder is on a career-high 12-game hitting streak and collected four hits - one a solo homer - in a 6-3 win over Florida on Wednesday.

Young also had a memorable performance in the game, delivering a two-run single in the eighth inning to pass Ivan Rodriguez for the franchise lead with his 1,748th hit.

"I've played my whole career in one uniform. Hopefully I can finish it in this uniform," said Young, who went 2 for 5 and has batted .343 average in his last 16 games. "I think most importantly, we got it in a win."

Hamilton has also been red-hot, thanks in part to interleague play. He has a 14-game hitting streak against NL opponents, posting a .418 average with four homers and 10 RBIs in that span.

Hamilton is 9 for 18 with a homer and three RBIs in four career games against the Marlins.

The Rangers will give Dustin Nippert (2-3, 4.60 ERA) his first start of the season after the right-hander made 22 appearances out of the bullpen.

Nippert is getting the ball because scheduled starter Matt Harrison was used in relief Wednesday, when discomfort in Tommy Hunter's right hip forced him to exit with one out in the third.

Nippert was 3-3 with a 4.65 ERA in 10 starts last season, and he'll be making his first against Florida. The right-hander hasn't faced the Marlins since a pair of relief outings in 2007, during which he allowed two hits in 4 1-3 scoreless innings.

He hasn't pitched more than three innings since going 5 2-3 in his most recent start Sept. 14, a 4-0 loss to Oakland.

The Marlins (31-34), who have seven hits in this series, have dropped seven of 10.

"We need to get a streak and win like 10," said shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who was 0 for 4 on Wednesday but drove in his seventh run in seven games. "It hasn't happened yet."

Ricky Nolasco (5-5, 5.05) will try to get on track in his first start against Texas after struggling through his last five outings, going 1-3 with an 8.25 ERA and allowing seven homers.

The right-hander had his shortest outing of the season Saturday, lasting 2 1-3 innings while giving up five runs and nine hits - three homers - in a 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay.

"They're just not missing them. There's not much I can do about it," Nolasco told the team's official website.

Nolasco went 2-3 with a 7.81 ERA in his last six interleague starts.