Wed Apr 30 11:01:25 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Rangers send Millwood to hill to face Royals

---

(Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers turn to one of their few healthy pitchers tonight in hopes of evening a three-game series with the visiting Kansas City Royals.

Kevin Millwood will take the mound for Texas this evening in search of his second victory of the season. The veteran right-hander has pitched pretty well despite starting out with a 1-2 record, as Millwood has surrendered two or less runs in four of his six outings thus far in 2008.

His last start was not one of Millwood's best, however. Against Minnesota on Friday, the 33-year-old was reached for five runs on eight hits over six innings and did not factor in the decision of his club's 6-5 triumph.

Millwood has compiled a 5.00 earned run average in three starts at Rangers Ballpark this season, compared to a 1.80 mark on the road.

He has faced the Royals eight times previously and owns a 4-3 record with a 4.66 ERA against Kansas City.

Texas' pitching problems continued in Tuesday's opener of this set, as the Royals tied a season-high with 14 hits to deal the Rangers a 9-5 defeat.

Jose Guillen led the way for Kansas City by going 2-for-5 with a home run and five RBI, while Mark Teahen knocked in three runs to help the Royals to their third victory in their last four games. Mark Grudzielanek collected four hits, including three doubles, and scored three times on the evening.

Ron Mahay received the win after tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Brett Tomko, who was removed with one out in the fourth upon allowing five runs on seven hits.

Jason Jennings (0-5) was tagged for five runs and eight hits in just two-plus innings of work for Texas, which lost for the ninth time in 11 games. Afterward, the Rangers announced that Jennings left the contest with an irritated ulnar nerve in his throwing arm, which could force him to miss his next turn.

Texas has already had to place rotation members Kason Gabbard (back spasms) and Luis Mendoza (right shoulder inflammation) on the disabled list within the past week.

The struggling Rangers figure to face another challenge this evening from Royals right-hander Brian Bannister, who brings an impressive 2.48 ERA into tonight's tilt and has yielded two runs or less in four of his five starts.

Bannister has lost back-to-back outings after winning his first three appearances, however. He was a hard-luck loser on Thursday, when Bannister held Cleveland to two runs and just four hits through 6 2/3 frames but came out on the short end of a 2-0 decision.

The reliable 27-year-old's only previous matchup with Texas came last July in Kansas City, with Bannister delivering seven shutout innings to lead the Royals to a 6-1 win.

Kansas City lost four of six games with the Rangers in Arlington last season and is 5-8 as the visitor in this series since 2005.