Rays hope the Price is right in Arlington

Baseball Betting Lines

07/04/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Still trying to work out some kinks, the Tampa Bay's phenom lefty David Price will take the hill this evening against the hard- hitting Texas Rangers in the second contest of a three-game stint.

Price, a playoff hero for the Rays last season, has been inconsistent since being called into the rotation, and is currently 2-2 and has a 3.93 earned run average.

However, the last time the hard-throwing southpaw took the hill, he limited Florida to just one run on two hits in 6 1/3 innings of duty. Price did have some control issues (five walks), but also struck out four batters.

This will be the first career start for Price against the Rangers.

As for Texas, they will send one of their own young prospects to the mound in Derek Holland. Holland is not as touted as Mr. Price, and his numbers should indicate why, as the southpaw has racked up a pathetic 1-5 ledger with an equally poor 6.20 earned run average.

Holland, who has worked as a reliever and as a starter, has been surprisingly bad at home, and in seven appearances in Arlington he has posted a weak 1-4 mark with a 9.00 earned run average.

This will be Holland's first-ever start against Tampa Bay.

On Friday, Hank Blalock belted a two-run homer and Tommy Hunter pitched 5 1/3 strong innings to collect his first win in the majors on his 23rd birthday, as the Rangers downed the Rays, 3-1.

Hunter (1-1) gave up one run on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks to collect his first win in his sixth start in the big leagues. The University of Alabama product is taking the place of Matt Harrison, who was put on the disabled list last week with biceps inflammation, in the Texas rotation. Frank Francisco retired the side in order in the ninth to pick up his 13th save.

"Tommy was real good tonight. He kept them off balance and he had all of his pitches working. He did a great job," Rangers manager Ron Washington said about Hunter.

Marlon Byrd had an RBI double for the Rangers, who has won three in a row after a three-game skid. Texas had just five hits in the contest.

Scott Kazmir (4-5) allowed three runs -- one earned -- on five hits with six strikeouts in a five-inning start for Tampa Bay, which has lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak.

B. J. Upton stroked an RBI single for the Rays, who had just three hits in the game.

"I think were on the right course. We have been winning lately, playing well, and hitting well. We have lost the last two, but before that we were fine. We feel that we are on our way right now," Rays outfielder Carl Crawford said.

This weekend's series is the first meeting of the season between these teams. The Rays won six of nine matchups with Texas a year ago, including four of six tilts held in Arlington.

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