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Rangers manager Washington faces former cub

Apr 20, 2007 - 1:57 PM Oakland (8-7) at Texas (6-9) 8:05 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Ron Washington hopes a meeting with his old team will spark a turnaround for his new club.

Washington on Friday will guide the Texas Rangers when they open a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics, who begin a five-game road trip.

Washington spent 11 seasons with the Athletics - 10 as third base coach and one at first. Oakland interviewed the popular coach for the vacant managerial position after Ken Macha was fired, but Washington was instead hired by the Rangers on November 6.

But it has been a rough start for Texas, which went 2-4 on its recent six-game road trip. The Rangers were no-hit by Chicago White Sox hurler Mark Buehrle on Wednesday and then dropped a 6-4 decision to the White Sox one night later, a contest in which they got just five hits.

The Rangers look to righthander Brandon McCarthy (1-2, 7.07 ERA), who allowed six runs, six hits and three homers in two innings in a disappointing 14-6 loss at Seattle last Sunday.

McCarthy will be opposed by Joe Blanton (1-0, 4.00), who yielded three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings but did not figure in the decision in last Saturday's 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees in 13 innings.

Blanton has fared well against the Rangers, posting a 4-2 mark with a 4.91 ERA in eight starts - including 4-0 in his last five starts.

Oakland swept a two-game series vs. the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, including a 3-0 victory on Wednesday.

Athletics outfielder Milton Bradley, who has sat out the last three games with a strained hamstring, may return to the lineup Friday.