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Indians' Carmona looks for fourth straight win

Jul 20, 2007 - 3:29 PM Cleveland (56-39) at Texas (41-54) 8:35 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Fausto Carmona will try and help the Cleveland Indians to consecutive wins for the first time in more than two weeks as he takes the hill on Friday against the Texas Rangers in the second game of a four-game series.

Carmona (11-4, 3.77 ERA) has won three straight starts and will be looking to lead Cleveland to two straight wins for the first time since July 3, when it was in the midst of a six-game winning streak.

The Indians have alternated wins and losses in the last 12 games after posting a 7-5 victory in the opener on Thursday. C.C. Sabathia picked up his major league-leading 13th win thanks to Grady Sizemore's tie-breaking home run in the sixth.

Carmona, who held the Kansas City Royals to two runs and seven hits in eight innings on Sunday, has won three straight starts. The 23-year-old has been lights out during day starts, going 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA, but is just 3-4 with a 6.00 ERA in nine night starts.

Meanwhile, Texas will go with Brandon McCarthy (4-6, 5.59), who will attempt to prevent the club's first three-game losing streak since June 10-13.

McCarthy, who is winless in his last five starts, yielded four runs - three earned - and six hits in six innings, but did not factor in a 5-4 win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday.