Rangers 2 - 3 Blue Jays
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Rangers seek revenge against Cecil, Blue Jays

Jul 29, 2011 - 2:59 PM

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(Sports Network) - Alexi Ogando tries to exact a measure of revenge against Brett Cecil and the Toronto Blue Jays this evening when the two teams hook up for the second time in a week in the opener of a three-game set at Rogers Centre.

The Rangers won the first two games of the series last weekend in Arlington, but the Blue Jays escaped with a 3-0 victory in the finale backed by a brilliant four-hit shutout from Cecil.

"It was [Cecil's] changeup, and he was spotting his fastball," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "The thing of it is, a whole lot of it wasn't for strikes. We just couldn't lay off of it. I felt like we could hit that guy, but we never took the time to say, 'OK, we're going to make him throw strikes.'"

Over his past three starts the left-handed Cecil is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. However, he is just 3-4 with a 4.71 ERA on the year.

Aside from the shutout Cecil has struggled mightily against the Rangers. Although he is 2-0 in three starts against them, he has allowed 15 runs in 16 innings.

Ogando, meanwhile, had a three-start win streak stopped in that encounter last week. The All-Star righty gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, but fell to 10-4 to go along with a 2.79 ERA.

This will be his second-ever appearance against the Blue Jays, who enter tonight's tilt on the heels of a series with the Baltimore Orioles. In Wednesday's rubber match Edwin Encarnacion finished 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored as Toronto pulled out an 8-5 win.

J.P. Arencibia posted a two-run double, while Eric Thames also homered and drove in two for the Blue Jays, who have won three of four and went above .500 for the first time since June 1.

Carlos Villanueva (6-2) allowed six hits and four runs over just five innings but picked up his first win in five starts.

It also marked the first game in a Blue Jays uniform for outfielder Colby Rasmus, who was acquired from St. Louis on Wednesday. He went 0-for-5 with a pair of strikeouts.

"I think it's clearly an adjustment period for him," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "We've just got to give him an opportunity to settle in."

Texas enters tonight's matchup holding a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League West after splitting a four-game series with the Minnesota Twins.

One Ranger Cecil will have to contend with tonight will be the red-hot Josh Hamilton, who is batting .341 with 22 RBI and 20 runs in 24 games this month. He also has 12 extra-base hits in his last 16 games.

The Rangers are also 30-9 when the reigning AL MVP knocks in a run this season.

Toronto has won four of its seven matchups with the Rangers this season.






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