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Jimenez leads Indians into finale with Rangers

Jun 12, 2013 - 2:33 PM (Sports Network) - Ubaldo Jimenez will try to rebound from a rough outing last time out and pitch the Cleveland Indians to a much-needed series win over the Texas Rangers in Wednesday's conclusion of a three-game series.

Jimenez was 4-1 with a 3.21 earned run average over his previous eight starts heading into a meeting last Friday with Detroit, where he lasted just three- plus innings in a loss.

The right-hander was charged with five runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and three walks, falling to 4-4 with a 5.03 ERA in 12 starts this season. Jimenez has won just once in his last five appearances.

Jimenez, 29, will make the fifth start of his career versus the Rangers and is 1-2 against them with a 4.37 ERA.

Cleveland picked up a 5-2 victory on Tuesday to halt a pair of losing streaks. The Indians snapped an eight-game slide overall and won for the first time in their past 13 on the road.

Drew Stubbs had a key two-run single, while Nick Swisher and Mark Reynolds drove in runs to back Corey Kluber's eight effective innings.

Kluber allowed just a run on six hits over his longest outing of the season, snapping a personal four-start winless streak and earning praise from manager Terry Francona.

"He's getting better right in front of our eyes," Francona said of Kluber. "For him to go out there today and kind of shoulder that responsibility, we're really proud of him."

A.J. Pierzynski homered and David Murphy added an RBI double for the Rangers, who have dropped four of their last six games.

Derek Holland was pulled after only 4 1/3 frames, charged with nine hits and four runs despite four strikeouts.

"I'm very disappointed with the way I performed," Holland admitted. "I'm very disappointed I didn't do my job. I didn't keep us in the ballgame."

Nick Tepesch has done a good job of doing that for most of the season, but the rookie will be aiming to halt his own four-start winless streak tonight.

Texas has lost all of the right-hander's last four appearances, with Tepesch 0-2 in that span. He is coming off Friday's setback in Toronto, where he was charged with a season-high six runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings of a 6-1 decision.

Though it was his longest start of the season, Tepesch was undone by a four- run sixth inning to mute a fast start that included him retiring the first nine batters faced.

"He was good except for that sixth inning," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Tepesch. "It's a good learning experiencing for the kid. He just has to learn to continue to execute as long as he has a chance to stay in the ballgame."

The 24-year-old is 3-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 11 starts this season and faces the Indians for the first time.

Texas has won 13 of its last 17 home games against the Tribe and 27 of the previous 36 meetings overall.