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LHP Santana looks to avoid third straight loss

May 22, 2007 - 1:46 PM Minnesota (20-24) at Texas (18-27) 8:05 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Johan Santana will have to go through a hot Texas Rangers' lineup in order to avoid losing his third straight game for the first time in almost three years.

Santana (4-4, 3.26 ERA) takes the mound for the Minnesota Twins in the middle game of a three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

The reigning Cy Young Award winner has lost two straight despite allowing just four runs and 10 hits in his last 13 innings.

However, Santana, who has not last three straight since May 19 - June 3, 2004, has been let down by his offense. Minnesota has scored just one run in his last two starts, and five combined in his four losses. His last time out he allowed just two runs and four hits in seven innings, but lost 2-0 to Fausto Carmona and the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

Now, the lefthander gets to deal with the hottest hitting team in baseball. The Rangers are coming off back-to-back 14-run performances for the first time in 15 years and have hit nine homers in the last two games. Santana has not fared well against them, going 2-2 with a 5.72 ERA in seven starts.

Gerald Laird hit his first career grand slam as the Rangers posted a 14-4 victory in the opener, which followed a 14-1 pasting of the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Kameron Loe (1-3, 6.21) takes the mound for Texas. Loe has allowed five or more runs in four of his last five starts. His last time out he received no-decision despite allowing six runs - five earned - and a season-high 10 hits in an 8-6 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Slugger Sammy Sosa drove in three runs on Monday and remains three homers shy of becoming the third player in major league history to reach 600.