By: Ben Raby
BALTIMORE- The Orioles (44-41) can guarentee themselves a winning record on their final homestand before the all-star break, should they beat the Rangers (44-43) this evening from Camden Yards. The O's enter tonight's game 3-2 on the seven-game homestand.
Brian Burres (6-5, 5.09 ERA) gets the start for the Orioles, while Scott Feldman (2-3, 4.38 ERA) makes an emergency start for Texas. Eric Hurley was scheduled to start for the Rangers, but Manager Ron Washington confirmed during his post-game scrum last night that Hurley has a sore left hamstring.
This is Feldman's first year as a starter, having spent his first three years in Texas pitching out of the bullpen. His 78 total innings this year nearly double his previous career high of 41 1/3. Suggesting that the Rangers could use a solid outing from the righthanded Feldman may be an understatement. Texas pitchers have giving up 28 runs in their past two games (an 18-7 loss at Yankee Stadium, and last night's 10-4 loss here in Baltimore).
Speaking of the Yankees, an Oriole win today combined with a Yankees loss would give Baltimore sole possesion of third place in the AL East. Both teams enter today nine games back of first place Tampa Bay, and six games back of wild card leading Boston.
For the Rangers, second baseman Ian Kinsler was 2-4 last night and is now hitting .325, best in the American League. Kinsler is on a 16-game hitting and also leads the AL in total bases (190), hits (116), runs (75), multi-hit games (34), and extra-base hits (44). Milton Bradley was also 2-4 at the plate last night, lifting his average to .323, fourth best in the AL.
As for the Orioles, Nick Markekis enters the game on a 12-game hitting streak, while Adam Jones has a hit in eight straight games.
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