(Best E Casino) - The Texas Rangers begin an important East Coast swing when the high-scoring club plays the first of three straight meetings with the Baltimore Orioles tonight at Camden Yards.

Texas enters this six-game road trip trailing the Boston Red Sox by 6 1/2 games for the top spot in the American League Wild Card race. The Rangers conclude the trek with three contests in Fenway Park beginning Tuesday.

The Rangers had a chance to gain ground on another wild card contender earlier in the week, but only managed a split of a four-game home set with the New York Yankees. Texas dropped the final two tests of the series and were shut down by the Yankees' pitching staff in Thursday's finale.

Mike Mussina tossed seven scoreless innings and combined with three New York relievers on an eight-hit shutout as the Yankees posted a 3-0 win over the Rangers last night.

Texas starter Scott Feldman (4-5) pitched well in a losing cause, as the converted reliever held New York to two runs on seven hits through the first seven frames.

Marlon Byrd finished 3-for-4 with two doubles for the Rangers, while Frank Catalanotto and Ramon Vazquez each collected a pair of hits on the night.

The Texas offense figures to face another tough challenge tonight, with Baltimore planning to send out Jeremy Guthrie in the opener. The unheralded right-hander has won five of his last six decisions and is coming off back-to- back outstanding starts.

Guthrie delivered 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball to defeat the Yankees in New York on July 28, then followed up with a complete-game four-hitter in last Saturday's 3-1 win at Seattle. The former first-round pick improved to 3-1 with a 2.67 earned run average in four starts following the All-Star break with the triumph over the Mariners.

The 29-year-old is 1-0 with a 5.52 ERA in four career games (2 starts) against the Rangers. That lone win came at Camden Yards on July 4, although Guthrie allowed four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Texas rookie Luis Mendoza attempts to build off a winning performance in his last start when he takes the mound this evening. The young righty worked a season-best seven innings Sunday against Toronto, with Mendoza surrendering four runs on just six hits to help the Rangers to an 8-4 decision.

The 24-year-old Mexican has struggled on the road this season, however, having amassed a poor 7.45 ERA along with a 1-2 record in his six appearances (4 starts) away from home.

Mendoza's only previous matchup with the Orioles came last September in Texas. He garnered the win in that game after limiting Baltimore to one run and four hits through five innings.

The Orioles return home after going 5-4 on a nine-game, three-city road trip. Baltimore did lose three of the final four contests on the trek, however, including two of three tilts to the AL West-leading Angels to close it out.

O's starter Garrett Olson had a rough outing in Wednesday's finale with Anaheim, as the rookie was shelled for six runs and seven hits in just 2 2/3 innings during his team's 9-4 loss.

Nick Markakis belted a three-run homer for Baltimore and Luis Montanez added a solo blast in his first major-league at-bat while finishing 2-for-4 with two run scored.

The Rangers are 4-2 against the Orioles so far this year and took two of three games from the Birds at Camden Yards in July. Texas also won two of three encounters with Baltimore on the road last season, including a memorable 30-3 shellacking on August 22, 2007.