(My Sportsbook) - Scott Kazmir hopes to give the Tampa Bay Rays a series win this afternoon, when the American League East leaders play the rubber match of their three-game set with the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Tampa, which leads the division by 3 1/2 games over the Boston Red Sox, hasn't lost a series since being swept by the Cleveland Indians heading into the All- Star break.

Kazmir, meanwhile, hasn't contributed to the Rays' surprising success of late, as he has posted just one win since June 27 and has failed to make it past the fifth inning in his last four starts.

The 24-year-old lefty was charged with the loss Tuesday in Oakland, as the Athletics managed two runs and two hits off of him in five innings. Kazmir also struck out six in the 2-1 loss, but fell to 8-6 on the year to go along with a 3.22 ERA.

Kazmir defeated the Rangers the last time he faced them and is a perfect 3-0 lifetime against them with a 1.95 ERA in six starts. He has also fanned 49 Texas batters in 37 frames.

Texas will pin its hopes on long reliever Dustin Nippert, who gets the start in place of Vicente Padilla. Padilla was scratched due to inflammation in a muscle joint in his neck.

Nippert, who is 1-2 with a 7.03 ERA on the year, will be the 14th different starting pitcher used by the Rangers this season.

In the second game of this set on Saturday, Ian Kinsler homered and Matt Harrison hurled eight solid innings to lead Texas to a 3-0 win.

Brandon Boggs also knocked in a run for the Rangers, who snapped a four-game losing streak, while Michael Young went 2-for-3 and drove in a run

Harrison (5-2) scattered three hits and fanned eight in his start, marking the first time this season he has failed to allow a run. Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Tampa starter Edwin Jackson (9-8) was charged with five hits and one run over six full frames for the Rays, whose three-game win streak was halted.

Tampa Bay has won five of its eight meetings with Texas this season and is 10-7 over the last 17 encounters in this series.