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(Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers turn to their hottest pitcher in hopes of earning a split of a four-game series with the host Minnesota Twins today at the Metrodome.

Texas has won 14 of its last 21 games, and Vicente Padilla has played a big part in the team's resurgence. Over his five most recent starts, the veteran right-hander has posted a 4-0 record and an outstanding 1.60 earned run average, with the Rangers winning all five of those outings.

Padilla's strong stretch began when he fired a seven-hit shutout to beat the Twins in Arlington on April 27. That effort evened his lifetime record to 2-2 against Minnesota, and the 30-year-old has a 2.81 ERA over those four starts.

He was last in action on Saturday, when Padilla limited Houston to two runs and five hits through seven innings in a 6-2 Texas victory.

Padilla takes the mound one day after teammate Sidney Ponson tossed a complete-game gem to lead the Rangers to a 10-1 rout over the Twins last night. The well-traveled righty scattered six hits and walked just one for Texas, which halted a three-game losing streak that included defeats to Minnesota on Monday and Tuesday.

The Rangers broke open a scoreless game by erupting for seven runs in the top of the fifth inning, capped by Ian Kinsler's three-run homer. Ramon Vazquez added a two-run single during the big frame, which began with a leadoff home run off the bat of Michael Young.

Gerald Laird also homered and finished with two RBI for Texas, which received three hits and two runs scored out of Josh Hamilton as well.

Twins starter Nick Blackburn (4-3) gave up all seven runs during that fifth inning, but only one was earned due to a costly error by second baseman Alexi Casilla. Blackburn lasted six innings total and permitted 10 hits while walking one.

Adam Everett tripled and scored the Twins only run, while Joe Mauer had two hits to raise his average to .336 on the season.

Opposing Padilla in this afternoon's tilt will be Livan Hernandez, who also squared off against the native Nicaraguan back on April 27. Hernandez had his worst performance of the year in that game, as he was rocked for seven runs and nine hits in a season-low 2 2/3 innings.

Hernandez has been quite sharp since that low point, having amassed a 3-1 record with a 2.45 ERA in four subsequent starts. He had a three-start win streak halted in Saturday's 3-2 setback at Colorado, although Hernandez held the Rockies to three runs in a solid 7 1/3-inning stint.

The durable right-hander is 3-1 in four lifetime matchups with the Rangers, despite having produced an ugly 8.75 ERA over 23 2/3 innings against Texas.

Minnesota has taken 10 of its last 14 encounters with the Rangers and is 7-2 against Texas at the Metrodome over that span. The Rangers did win two of three tests versus the Twins in Arlington last month, however.