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Rangers send Ogando to hill in KC

May 18, 2011 - 2:53 PM (Sports Network) - Alexi Ogando tries to remain perfect on the season this evening when the Texas Rangers open a two-game series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Ogando has been a pleasant surprise for the Rangers this season, going 4-0 with a 2.04 earned run average. His most recent win came on Friday against the Angels, as he allowed just a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Aside from one poor outing against the New York Yankees, Ogando has allowed two runs or less in his other six starts. This comes after he pitched to a 1.30 ERA in 44 relief appearances a year ago as a rookie for the Rangers.

"I don't know that I'm a dominant pitcher yet," Ogando said. "All my pitches have been working. I just have to keep working and I'll get better. I know I can do my job out there."

Ogando rebounded from the poor showing in the Bronx with a win over the Royals on April 23 in which he surrendered just a run and five hits in six innings.

Texas enters this series on a down note, though, after dropping a 4-3 decision to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. The deciding run crossed the plate in the eighth inning after a wild pitch from Cody Eppley (1-1).

Endy Chavez went 2-for-4 with a run scored while Yorvit Torrealba drove in a run for the Rangers, who lost for only the second time in their last six games. Matt Harrison went seven innings and gave up three runs on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts.

Kansas City, meanwhile, is reeling after getting swept by the Cleveland Indians. After getting walloped 19-1 in Monday's opener, the Royals dropped a 7-3 decision to fall for the fourth straight time.

Sean O'Sullivan (2-3) went five innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out two in the Royals' sixth loss in eight games.

"I wanted to come out tonight have a real big game for us," said O'Sullivan. "Maybe I put too much pressure on myself and tried to be too fine around the strike zone."

With their starting staff depleted by injury, the Royals turn to 22-year-old left-hander Danny Duffy, who will be making his major league debut. Duffy, a third round pick in the 2007 draft, had been terrific at Triple-A Omaha, where he was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in seven starts. He also struck out 43 and walked just 10 in 36 innings.

Duffy becomes the ninth rookie to be on the Royals' 25-man roster this season.

Texas swept a three-game set from the Royals earlier this season and has won 13 of the last 16 in the series.