Guardians 4 - 10 Rangers
Final
  for this game

Rangers, Indians begin set in Arlington

Sep 13, 2011 - 2:46 PM

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(Sports Network) - Texas tries to continue its recent mastery of the Cleveland Indians this evening when the Rangers open a three-game set against them at the Ballpark in Arlington.

The Rangers have won six of their seven meetings with the Indians this season and have won eight of the last nine in the series dating back to last season, while going 18-4 against them since the start of the 2009 campaign.

Texas enters tonight's tilt holding a three-game lead on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League West after taking two of three from the Oakland Athletics over the weekend. On Sunday, C.J. Wilson tossed eight scoreless innings and Adrian Beltre smacked two homers, including the 300th of his career, as the Rangers pulled out the series win with an 8-1 victory.

Wilson (16-6) scattered five hits and a walk while striking out 11 batters in his third straight win.

Beltre, who is riding a 16-game hit streak, drove in seven runs in the series and is hitting .395 with 12 RBI in 10 games since coming off the disabled list Sept. 1.

"He's really getting his timing down and it's the perfect time for him to do it 'cause we're going to need him for the stretch run," said Texas manager Ron Washington about Beltre.

Heading to the hill tonight for the Rangers will be lefty Matt Harrison, who is 11-9 with a 3.50 ERA. Harrison won for the first time in five starts last Sunday in Boston, as he allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Harrison, though, has lost both of his starts to Cleveland, pitching to a 5.06 ERA in those outings.

Cleveland, meanwhile, will counter with sinker-balling righty Justin Masterson, who has lost two of his last three starts. Masterson lost to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, surrendering five runs (four earned) and eight hits in six innings, dropping him to 11-9 to go along with a 3.01 ERA.

Masterson lost to the Ranger the last time he faced them and is 0-3 lifetime against them with a 5.48 ERA in seven games, three of which have been starts.

Cleveland has played its way out of contention in the American League Central and comes into tonight's tilt 11 1/2 games back of the front-running Detroit Tigers.

The Indians split a four-game set with the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, but have lost five of their last seven games.






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