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Lannan eyes backing from offense in rubber game

Jun 22, 2008 - 2:27 PM Texas (37-38) at Washington (30-45) 1:35 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Texas Rangers have been providing their pitchers with offensive support all season - something John Lannan would like to experience on a more regular basis.

Lannan eyes rare support from his offense on Sunday when the Washington Nationals attempt to claim the rubber game of a three-game interleague series with the Rangers.

Texas, which leads the majors in runs, hits, doubles, extra-base hits, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage, has consistently backed its pitching staff with a plethora of runs, helping the club hang around the .500 mark this season despite a team ERA of 4.99 - second-worst in the majors.

That kind of support has rarely been provided to Lannan (4-8, 3.36 ERA), who has received less run support than any pitcher in baseball. An example of that offensive ineptitude has come over the lefthander's last three starts in which he is 0-3 despite a 2.84 ERA.

Lannan will try once again to snap his four-game losing streak in the rubber game of this series after putting together a strong outing in his last turn. He allowed just two runs and five hits in seven innings on Tuesday, but took the loss in a 2-1 setback at the Minnesota Twins.

He'll need to be sharp to go toe-to-toe with Vicente Padilla (9-3, 3.73 ERA), who will look to become the majors' seventh 10-game winner. In his last start, Padilla picked up his second straight win, allowing two runs - one earned - and two hits over six frames in Tuesday's 7-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

With a victory on Sunday, Padilla will match Kevin Millwood's team-leading 10 wins from a season ago.