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Tampa Bay Rays (74-47) at Texas Rangers (61-62), 8:05 p.m.

(Sports Network) - Everyone is waiting for the upstart Tampa Bay Rays to run out of steam. However, despite injuries that are mounting by the day, they continue to roll.

Tampa will shoot for its fourth straight win this evening, when it plays the middle test of a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

After already losing Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria to the disabled list earlier in the week, the Rays placed closer Troy Percival on the 15-day DL for the third time this season on Friday because of a cartilage injury to his right knee.

That did not slow them down any in the opener of this set, however, as Matt Garza dominated the powerful Rangers lineup last night. The young pitcher struck out nine Texas batters in a two-hit shutout to lead the Rays to a 7-0 rout.

Garza (10-7) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and allowed just two singles and two walks, going the distance on 119 pitches. Willy Aybar, Carlos Pena, Eric Hinske and Gabe Gross all homered for the Rays, who have won six of their last seven contests and stretched their lead in the AL East to 3 1/2 games over the idle Boston Red Sox,

Boston had its Friday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays rained out.

Kevin Millwood (6-7) did not last long in his return from the disabled list. The Texas hurler gave up five runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and a walk, and surrendered all four Tampa homers in his 4 2/3-inning stint.

Millwood had been sidelined since July 24 with a strained right groin, and was on the shelf from May 11-28 with the same ailment.

Just three days after exploding for 17 runs in a loss to the Red Sox, the Rangers were shut out for the second straight game and the fourth time in their last eight contests.

Getting the call for the Rays tonight will be righty Edwin Jackson, who has won his last four starts. Jackson was superb against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, when he allowed a run and seven hits in seven innings to run his record to 9-7 and lower his earned run average to 4.07.

Jackson has faced the Rangers three times and is 1-1 with a 3.74 ERA against them.

Texas will counter with left-hander Matt Harrison, who will be celebrating his 23rd birthday on Saturday. Harrison won his second straight start last Sunday in Baltimore, despite giving up six runs and 10 hits in five innings.

Harrison, who has never faced the Rays, has won three of his last four starts and is 4-2 with a 7.07 ERA on the year.

Tampa Bay has won five of its seven meetings with Texas this season and is 10-6 over the last 16 encounters in this series.


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