Sunday afternoon baseball: Texas at Orioles

Game Preview Texas (76-59) at Orioles (55-81) After a 5-4 win over Texas on Saturday night the Orioles and Rangers meet today at 1:35 p.m. in the third and deciding game of this series. The Orioles have a chance to gain just their second series win since the All-Star break with a victory today. The O's are just 1-11-2 in 14 series in the second half. Today, Jeremy Guthrie (9-13, 5.17) pitches for the Orioles vs. lefty Derek Holland (7-9, 5.62). Brian Matusz pitched seven innings to pick up his 4th win of the year in Saturday's game. Melvin Mora had three hits and three RBI and Nolan Reimold added a solo homer. Matusz, who retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced, is 2-0, 3.21 over his last two starts. The O's end a ten-game homestand this afternoon. They are 3-6 during this homestand and 33-37 at home on the year. Mora is batting .400-3-7 on this homestand with 12 hits in 30 at bats. He is 8 for 18 over his last five games. Reimold is 8 for 15 with two homers during a four-game batting streak and he's hitting .304 since the All-Star break. Other O's are struggling with the bat right now. Brian Roberts has five hits in his last 41 at bats, Luke Scott is one for 18, Ty Wigginton is 2 for 12 and Cesar Izturis is batting .177 over his last 17 games. Texas had a four-game win streak snapped Saturday but has still won 14 of 24 and 23 of 40 games. The Rangers are 12-5-1 in their last 18 series. Texas begins today 2 games behind Boston in the wild-card race and is 4 ½ games back of Los Angeles for the AL West lead. The Rangers are 5-4 this year vs. the Orioles and 28-19 vs. the Birds since the beginning of the 2005 season. Texas is 25-18 on the year vs. AL East clubs and is 16-6 vs. the East since June 11th. O's hitters on this homestand: Andino: 1-2, run Aubrey: 0-4 Fiorentino: 0-1 Jones: 1-13 Markakis: 10-37/1/6 Moeller: 2-2/1/1 Mora: 12-30/3/7 Pie: 10-27/3/6 Reimold: 10-32/2/2 Roberts: 5-31/0/3 Scott: 5-29/1/5 Wieters: 9-38/1/5 Wigginton: 8-26/0/1