• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Tribe go up against unbeaten Ogando in Cleveland

Jun 3, 2011 - 2:45 PM (Sports Network) - Count Cleveland starter Justin Masterson as one of those ready to tear the month of May off the calendar.

After going winless in his six starts last month, the right-hander will try to crack the win column this evening and even this four-game weekend series between the Indians and Texas Rangers at Progressive Field.

Masterson came out of the gate swinging, winning all five of his starts in April while posting a 2.18 earned run average. However, May was not nearly as kind to the former second-round pick as he went 0-3 in six starts with a 3.79 ERA.

How tough was his luck in May? Masterson threw a complete-game loss to the White Sox in which he gave up just one run in a 1-0 setback.

The 26-year-old, though, wasn't nearly as sharp in his final effort of the month as he took a 7-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday. Masterson allowed a season-high seven runs, six of those earned, on eight hits and five walks over just five innings of work for his shortest outing of the season. He fell to 5-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 11 starts this year.

"Justin had a rough day today. He really struggled with his command," Indians manager Manny Acta said of his starter. "He obviously didn't have a good outing, but he's been money for us so far."

Masterson has faced the Rangers twice before as a starter, but lost both games while pitching to a 7.15 ERA.

Rangers starter Alexi Ogando certainly can't relate to Masterson's struggles as he brings a perfect 5-0 mark and 2.33 ERA over 10 starts into this matchup. The right-hander, who made his MLB debut last year with 44 relief appearances, has matched Gerald Alexander's club record of going undefeated over his first 10 starts, with Alexander doing so from 1990-91 with a 2-0 record.

Ogando has also gone at least six innings in each of his first 10 starts, the longest such run by a Rangers pitcher since Kenny Rogers did so in 15 straight to open the 2001 season.

Ogando, though, narrowly avoided his first loss of the season on Sunday versus Kansas City. He gave up a season high-tying five runs on a career-worst seven hits over six innings, but got a no-decision in Texas' 7-6 win after the Rangers scored four runs over the final two innings.

The 27-year-old faces the Indians for the first time as a starter but has faced them twice before in relief, allowing a solo homer over 2 1/3 innings.

Texas took the opener of this set on Thursday night, smashing its way to a 7-4 victory. Endy Chavez had four hits, an RBI and scored twice, while Nelson Cruz added a pair of doubles to help the Rangers win for the fifth time in six games.

Cruz has now hit safely in his past six games, going 11-for-25 with two homers and four RBI as he shows no effects of a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for three weeks in May.

Dave Bush made a spot start last night in place of Matt Harrison (blister) and lasted four innings, allowing three runs. Michael Kirkman picked up the win with three innings of relief.

"You know, they scored so early that it gave us the chance to scratch and get back in it," Texas manager Ron Washington said of his bullpen. "Kirkman came in and he did what we needed him to do, get us to the eighth inning. Then we got some two-out knocks."

Coming off a 13-9 win at Toronto on Wednesday, the Indians lost for the sixth time in their last nine games. Matt LaPorta hit his eight homer of the season and Carlos Santana, moved back to the cleanup spot for the first time in eight games, had two hits, walked twice and stole a base.

"We didn't swing the bats particularly well," said Tribe manager Manny Acta. "We did have a three-run lead and I felt that would have given us a chance to get to the bullpen and win the game, but we just didn't do the things we had been doing."

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco threw six innings in defeat, giving up six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits.

The Rangers have won 13 of their last 16 versus the Indians, going 8-2 at Progressive Field in that time.