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Haren looks to remain dominant in rubber match

May 30, 2007 - 2:43 PM Texas (19-33) at Oakland (25-26) 3:35 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The rotation of the Oakland Athletics has been the team's mainstay all season long. Perhaps the biggest piece has been ace Danny Haren.

The Athletics conclude their three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday at McAfee Coliseum.

Haren (5-2, 1.70 ERA), who leads the American League in ERA, will get the call in the rubber match between the division rivals. With two starters - Rich Harden and Esteban Loaiza - already on the disabled list, Oakland has needed someone to pick up the slack at the top of the rotation and the righthander has done just that.

Haren has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last eight outings, including just one run and two hits over seven frames in a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, the fifth straight win for the ace.

The righthander has made seven lifetime starts against Texas, going 2-3 with a 4.57 ERA. He struck out a career-high 12 batters the last time he opposed the Rangers last August.

John Koronka (0-1, 5.40) will get the start for Texas, which snapped a six-game skid with Tuesday's 4-0 victory. The 26-year-old will be making just his second start of the season and is the only lefthander to start for the Rangers this season.

Koronka, who is replacing Brandon McCarthy while he recovers from a blister on his pitching hand, started for the Rangers on May 19 against the Houston Astros and yielded three runs in five-plus innings of a 6-1 loss.

The southpaw will be making just his second career start against the A's, but does not have a decision despite a 2.57 ERA.