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Millwood faces former team as Rangers host Indians

Sep 24, 2006 - 2:34 PM Cleveland (71-83) at Texas (78-77) 2:05 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Kevin Millwood continues to show the Cleveland Indians the type of pitcher that they let walk away.

Millwood tries to beat his former team for the third time in as many meetings this season when the Texas Rangers host the Indians in Sunday's rubber game.

After leading the American League in ERA as a member of the Indians last year, Millwood (16-10, 4.36 ERA) has not been as consistent in his first season with the Rangers. But the righthander has been much better of late, going 6-2 with a 3.36 ERA in his last eight outings.

Millwood has taken his performance to a new level against Cleveland this year. He held the Indians to two runs in seven innings on April 29 and yielded only one run and two hits in eight innings, striking out a season-high 10 in a 5-2 win on September 3.

The Indians will give the nod to Jake Westbrook (13-10, 4.15), who is coming off Monday's 7-2 victory against Oakland. The sinkerballer allowed two runs - one earned - in 7 2/3 innings as he did not give up a home run for the third straight outing.

Westbrook is 3-1 with a 4.91 ERA in eight career matchups with the Rangers, who managed just two runs in seven innings against the righthander on September 1.

After dropping a 12-4 decision in Friday's series opener, the Indians halted their four-game losing streak Saturday with a 6-3 win. Jhonny Peralta homered and drove in three runs and Victor Martinez added a two-run double for Cleveland.