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Pirates seek series sweep of Rangers

Jun 14, 2007 - 1:45 PM Texas (23-42) at Pittsburgh (28-37) 7:05 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to complete a three-game series sweep of the Texas Rangers when they meet in finale on Thursday.

The Pirates strung together wins for the first time since taking three in a row from the Cincinnati Reds from May 25-27 with an 8-1 win on Wednesday.

Ian Snell registered his first career complete game and Jose Bautista had three hits and three RBI.

"I think we're all putting it together at the same time, and that definitely helps," Bautista said. "We're scoring runs in bunches and I think that's been translating into the two wins we've had the last two nights."

Tom Gorzelanny (6-3, 2.76 ERA) will take aim for the sweep. The Pittsburgh lefthander has not figured into each of his last two starts, allowing seven runs and 13 hits in 13 innings.

In his last outing, Gorzelanny surrendered four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 5-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday. He will be making his first career appearance against the Rangers.

Texas counters with Kameron Loe (1-6, 7.40), who was recalled from Class AAA Oklahoma to replace injured starter Brandon McCarthy in the rotation because a blister on his pitching hand.

In his last start, Loe was pounded for nine runs and nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings in an 11-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on June 7.

Texas has dropped three straight games and five of its last seven.