(Best E Casino) - Tom Mastny makes his first major league start this evening when the
Cleveland Indians and
Texas Rangers play the second of four games at Rangers Ballpark.
Mastny gets the call tonight in place of Jake Westbrook, who was placed on the disabled list Monday with right elbow inflammation.
In two relief appearances for the Indians earlier this season, Mastny was touched for two runs in 1 2/3 innings of work before being sent down to Buffalo, where he rebounded to allow just one earned run in nine frames for the Bisons.
Mastny has faced the Rangers seven times out of the bullpen without recording a decision, but has picked up a save despite pitching to a 7.04 ERA in those appearances.
Texas will also call up a pitcher to start tonight's contest, as A.J. Murray is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma to start in place of Vicente Padilla, who has been placed on the bereavement list.
Murray picked up the win over the Oakland Athletics in his only other start for the Rangers this season, giving up three runs (two earned) and six hits over 5 1/3 innings.
In the opener of this set on Monday, Casey Blake tied career highs with two home runs and seven runs batted in, as he helped the Cleveland to a 13-9 win. Blake finished with three hits, while Ben Francisco went 2-for-5 with a two- run homer and David Dellucci added two hits and a two-run blast of his own.
Jhonny Peralta also had three hits, including a double, for the Indians, who snapped a two-game losing streak and had scored 13 runs in their past four games combined.
Starter Aaron Laffey lasted five innings and gave up eight runs on 11 hits for Cleveland, which lost two of three to Texas in late May. Masa Kobayashi (3-2) picked up the win by throwing 1 2/3 frames and allowing just one run.
Josh Hamilton slugged a two-run homer, while Marlon Byrd added a grand slam for the Rangers, who put together 15 hits but lost their second consecutive game. Ian Kinsler and Michael Young each added three hits for Texas.
Doug Mathis struggled in his start for the Rangers, as he also gave up eight runs on 12 hits in just 3 2/3 innings. But Eddie Guardado (0-1) took the loss after surrendering one run in the seventh inning.
Texas won two of three from the Indians earlier in the year but is just 9-13 in the series since the start of the 2006 campaign. Cleveland has also won six of its last seven in Arlington.