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Rangers try to avoid series loss to Angels

Jul 21, 2011 - 2:56 PM (Sports Network) - After having their 12-game winning streak stopped on Wednesday, the Texas Rangers try to avoid back-to-back losses this afternoon when they go after a series win against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Getting back on track today could prove to be difficult, though, as Texas will be going up against one of the best pitchers in the American League this season in All-Star Game starting right-hander Jered Weaver, who is 12-4 and leads the majors with a 1.90 earned run average.

Weaver won his third straight start and sixth consecutive decision on Saturday in Oakland, as he held the Athletics to a pair of runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

"Obviously, I would have liked to finish the seventh," said Weaver, who hasn't lost since May 18 in Seattle. "They were able to put the ball in places where we weren't. The bullpen came through, and it was a good team win."

With at least 12 wins and an ERA below 2.00 in his first 20 starts of the season, Weaver is the first pitcher to accomplish that since Pedro Martinez went 13-4 with a 1.46 ERA in his first 20 starts in 2000 for the Red Sox.

Weaver lost to the Rangers the last time he faced them, but is 8-5 lifetime against them with a 3.38 ERA in 22 starts.

Texas, though, will rely on an All-Star of its own in lefty C.J. Wilson, who is 10-3 with a 3.11 ERA. Wilson won his sixth straight decision on Saturday in Seattle, as he outdueled Felix Hernandez and limited the Mariners to a run and five hits over seven innings.

Wilson also struck out seven and is now 7-0 with a 2.80 ERA in his past 10 starts. Additionally, he improved to 5-1 in six games in which he faced another pitcher who was selected for the All-Star Game.

"That just shows you he's in the upper echelon of pitchers," Texas manager Ron Washington said.

Wilson, who hasn't tasted defeat since losing in Philadelphia on May 20, is 4-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 35 games against the Angels. However, only eight of those outings have been starts.

The Rangers seemed well on their way to extending their streak on Wednesday, but Howie Kendrick hit the go-ahead two-run single to cap a six-run sixth frame, boosting Los Angeles to a 9-8 win.

Kendrick totaled three hits, including two in the sixth inning, and drove in four runs. Torii Hunter homered to finally snap a huge drought at the plate, as the Angels took the middle portion of this series and climbed within four games of the AL West-leading Rangers.

"That was great baseball," Hunter said. "The Texas Rangers are a hot team and we were able to stop their winning streak. We played small ball. We got some timely hits. We played our game."

Derek Holland, who had thrown shutouts in each of his last two starts, gave up three runs through the first three frames, but was in prime position to get a win as Texas held an 8-3 lead going to the sixth. Holland gave up hits to four of the five batters he faced in the decisive inning and Tommy Hunter (1-1) couldn't stop the bleeding as he was charged with three hits and two runs.

"We had a lot of good at-bats in the sixth inning," Kendrick said. "We had a lot of guys playing hard to get back on track. It was fun to see what we did tonight. Hopefully we can carry this win over."

The winning streak was two shy of the team record the Rangers set in 1991.

Texas has split its eight meetings with the Angels this season.