Tampa Bay @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2011 ) Tampa Bay 0, Texas 2

THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays had pulled within as close as six games of the New York Yankees in the wild card race Sunday afternoon. But after two straight losses and three wins by the Yankees the Rays are now 8 1/2 games out with two more games left in the scorching heat of Texas. The Rays will send James Shields to the mound Wednesday to try and turn things around against the Rangers. Tampa Bay is 17-10 in August, matching the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the American League in the month. The Rangers are 43-27 at home -- best in the AL.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET; SunSports (Tampa Bay), FS-SW (Texas).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH James Shields (12-10, 2.96 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Alexi Ogando (12-6, 3.57 ERA).

Shields beat Toronto on Friday, allowing one run over nine innings, for his major league-leading 10th complete game. He has 192 strikeouts over 201 innings. Shields, who has won three of his last four decisions, is 3-2 lifetime against Texas with a 4.07 ERA over 42 innings. Michael Young is 4-for-14 with two homers against Shields.

Ogando is 1-1 in his last four starts, giving up 18 runs in 20 innings. He is 2-3 since July 19, with a 6.05 ERA. Ogando has 112 strikeouts and 38 walks in 151 1/3 innings -- allowing 134 hits. He has pitched two innings in relief against Tampa Bay, allowing one run.

ABOUT THE RAYS (73-61): Tampa Bay continues to be up and down on offense. The Rays scored six runs in a four-game series against Detroit, produced 27 in four games at Toronto, then got only two runners past first base in a shutout Tuesday at Texas. Evan Longoria was 0-for-4, ending the game with a double play grounder, and clean-up hitter Ben Zobrist was 0-for-3, and is 5-for-38 the last nine games. Ninth-place hitter Sean Rodriguez was on base both times with a single and a walk. He is 5-for-11 the last four games. Rodriguez has also played well at shortstop, making just two errors his last 32 games.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (77-59): With Nelson Cruz out for three weeks and Adrian Beltre not yet back from the disabled list, the Rangers are leaning heavily on Josh Hamilton and he has come through. Hamilton is 5-for-8 with two homers and four RBIs in the last two games. David Murphy, who is likely to get even more playing time with Cruz out, has started the last four games and gone 7-for-15 with two homers and seven RBIs. Elvis Andrus has also been warm, with six hits in his last 17 at bats. Closer Neftali Feliz has allowed just two hits and no runs his last 11 appearances with four saves and one victory.

FINAL PITCH: The Rangers placed Cruz and pitcher Darren O’Day on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. Right-handed pitcher Chris Hamburger and outfielder Leonys Martin, a Cuban defector, were recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to take their place.