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Millwood, Rangers will to beat up Pirates again

Jun 12, 2007 - 2:20 PM Texas (23-40) at Pittsburgh (26-37) 7:05 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Trying to snap a personal four-game losing streak, Kevin Millwood hopes to keep the Texas Rangers perfect against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Millwood and the Rangers face the Pirates in the opener of a three-game interleague series at PNC Park on Tuesday.

Texas is coming off its first series win in six tries after taking two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend. The Rangers could have swept, but absorbed a 9-6 loss in 12 innings in Sunday's finale.

The loss sent the Rangers to a major league-worst 23-40 record as well as a 9-22 mark on the road. Millwood (2-5, 7.57 ERA) hopes to change the team's fortunes as well as his own vs. the Pirates. The big righthander was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings in a 10-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, who is 4-4 lifetime vs. the Pirates, will be aiming for his first victory since April 13.

This will be the third time that Texas and Pittsburgh have met, with the Rangers winning all six of the previous meetings, including a series sweep on the road in 2002.

The Pirates send Zack Duke (2-6, 5.75) to the mound. The lefthander has just one win in his last 11 starts and is 0-3 at home this season.

His performance at PNC Park mirrors the team's effort here. The Pirates have lost five of six at home and are tied with Kansas City for a major league-worst 11 home victories.

Duke, who has never faced the Rangers, is 0-1 lifetime in two career interleague starts.