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Rangers hope to break the brooms out on Blue Jays

Jul 24, 2011 - 2:31 PM (Sports Network) - The streaking Texas Rangers go for the sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays as the teams close out a three-game set tonight in Arlington.

If not for the LA Angels, the Rangers might already be making plans for the postseason given how well they've played over the last month. Since the All- Star break Texas has won seven of nine contests and leading up to the mid- summer classic the club had rattled off seven wins in a row as well. And yet, with all that success the team has just a four-game lead in the American League West standings after Saturday's thrilling 5-4 win over the Jays.

Michael Young knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with a fly ball to right that sailed over the head of Corey Patterson. The subject of possible trade talk heading into this season, Young finished 2-for-5 and now has nine hits in his last four games to raise his average to a staggering .330 which leads the club.

Josh Hamilton registered three hits, including an RBI triple, while Nelson Cruz contributed an RBI double for the Rangers as they notched their 33rd home win in 51 opportunities.

Reliever Darren Oliver worked just one-third of an inning to earn the win, his third of the campaign. Texas starter Matt Harrison allowed four runs on eight hits, while striking out eight over 6 2/3 innings.

Marc Rzepczynski was saddled with his third loss of 2011 as he was charged with two runs -- one earned -- and a walk. Jon Rauch suffered his fourth blown save of the season for the Jays.

J.P. Arencibia connected on a home run while Eric Thames collected an RBI triple for Toronto, which has lost back-to-back games after winning three in a row.

Taking on the Blue Jays for the second time this season, Texas hurler Alexi Ogando steps to the hill tonight. The right-hander, now in just his second year in the majors, last pitched on Tuesday against the Angels on the road and recorded his third straight win in the process.

Against Anaheim, Ogando threw eight shut-out innings, allowing just four hits and issuing three walks, while striking out five in a 7-0 triumph. Ogando is now 10-3 on the campaign, thanks in part to his team scoring a total of 35 runs in his last three appearances.

As for the Jays, they've penciled in Brett Cecil as their starter to close out the week. Cecil, who is 1-0 with a staggering 19.29 ERA in his previous appearances against Texas, failed to earn a decision in his most recent outing on Tuesday when Toronto secured a 6-5 win over Seattle.

Against the slumping Mariners, the Maryland native permitting five runs on nine hits, including a pair of home runs, while walking one and striking out two through seven innings.

Taking away some of the punch from their powerful lineup, the Rangers were forced to place third baseman Adrian Beltre on the 15-day DL with a strained hamstring. Beltre is tops on the team with 76 RBI over the course of the first 100 games of the season and is second in home runs (20).

Despite being just one game under .500 at the moment with a 50-51 record, the Jays find themselves buried in fourth place in the high-competitive American League East where they are already 12 1/5 games out of contention now that they've split six games this season against the Rangers.