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Byrd looks to end personal misery at Ameriquest Field

Sep 22, 2006 - 1:01 PM Cleveland (70-82) at Texas (77-76) 8:35 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) - Paul Byrd's last chance at evening his road record this season comes at a ballpark that historically has given him trouble.

Byrd seeks a first career win at Ameriquest Field on Friday, when the Cleveland Indians begin their final road series of the season - a three-game set against the Texas Rangers.

In losing each of his first three starts here, Byrd (9-8, 4.77 ERA) has posted a 9.56 ERA and afforded Ranger hitters a .356 average. The 35-year-old righthander allowed four runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 5-2 loss in the finale of a three-game series here September 3, falling to 4-5 away from Jacobs Field this season.

Byrd has a 5.00 ERA this month after going 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA in 12 starts in September the previous two years.

The Indians dropped to 32-46 on the road this season with a 7-4 setback in Thursday's finale of a four-game series at Oakland. Cleveland has lost 10 of its last 13 games overall to clinch a fourth losing season in the last five years.

The Rangers need five victories of their final nine games to secure just their second winning season since 1999. They look to move closer to that goal behind Adam Eaton (6-4, 4.77), who has gone 3-0 with a 4.24 ERA in his last four starts.

Eaton was with San Diego the last time he faced Cleveland on June 9, 2005, allowing six hits in seven scoreless innings of a 3-2 win. The righthander has gone 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two career meetings with the Indians.