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Jackson goes for second win

Jun 29, 2007 - 1:20 PM Tampa Bay (33-44) at Cleveland (46-32) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - It has been a difficult two years for young Edwin Jackson, who had gone 21 months since his last major league win before beating the Los Angeles Dodgers last Sunday.

Jackson (1-8, 7.39 ERA) will be trying to win two starts in a row for the first time in his career when he takes the mound for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays against the Cleveland Indians on Friday at Jacobs Field.

Jackson was a highly-touted prospect in the Dodgers system before he failed chances at big-league success in three different seasons. He was traded to Tampa Bay prior to the 2006 season, and worked almost exclusively out of the bullpen last season.

The 23-year-old righthander was moved into the rotation for the current campaign, and had dropped his first eight decisions before Sunday's victory made him a winner for the first time since September 26, 2005, when he was with Los Angeles.

The Indians will counter with Jake Westbrook (1-3, 7.08). The veteran sinkerballer will be making his second start since coming off the disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle.

Westbrook held the Washington Nationals to three runs and seven hits in seven innings last Sunday, but took the loss as Cleveland dropped a 3-1 decision.

The Indians took three of four from the Oakland Athletics this week.

The Devil Rays were swept in four games at home against the Chicago White Sox.