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Byrd, Indians seek to continue dominance of Devil Rays

Apr 21, 2007 - 2:51 PM Cleveland (7-6) at Tampa Bay (6-10) 7:10 pm EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Nobody has been able to score off Paul Byrd this season.

The Cleveland Indians seek their eighth straight win against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays when the teams meet on Saturday.

Byrd (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the mound for Cleveland. In his first official start against the Chicago White Sox last Saturday, the veteran righthander allowed just five hits in six scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory.

The 12-year veteran is 1-1 with a 5.70 ERA in five career starts against Tampa Bay.

In his first actual start on April 6, Byrd did not allow a hit over 4 2/3 innings to Seattle before the game was called due to snow, coming within one out of being ruled an official game.

Cleveland's Travis Hafner, who has reached base safely in nine straight plate appearances, has four consecutive multi-hit games and 11 hits in his last 15 at bats.

The Devil Rays will counter with Jae Seo (0-1, 7.71). He pitched seven innings in his last outing - a no-decision in a 6-4 victory over the Twins.

Seo is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in three career starts against the Indians. Josh Barfield is the only Cleveland batter to face the righthander more than five times, hitting .286 (2-for-7).