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Scott Feldman tries to avoid a fourth straight loss this evening when the Texas Rangers begin a four-game series with the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum.

Feldman could be the odd man out once Roy Oswalt is ready to go. And with the way Feldman's pitched of late, who could argue? The righty dropped his third straight game on Tuesday against Seattle, as he allowed four runs (2 earned) and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He also walked three and slipped to 0-3 on the year to go along with a 4.50 ERA.

"I just plan on going out there and giving everything I have and do as well as I can," Feldman said. "As long as I'm doing that, everything else will take care of itself."

The fifth inning has been his undoing lately, as he surrendered eight runs in that frame over his last three starts and has recorded just five outs.

"I know I can pitch more than five innings," Feldman said. "I know it's happened three times in a row, but I've been working on a starter's program between starts, and hopefully the third time is the charm. I can go deep in a ballgame and give the bullpen a break."

Feldman hasn't fared well versus the A's over the course of his career, recording just a 3-5 mark and a 5.65 ERA in 17 games (9 starts) against them.

Texas snapped a four-game losing streak on Sunday, as Elvis Andrus collected three hits and knocked in two runs while Nelson Cruz added a two-run home run to help the Rangers salvage the finale of their three-game set with the Angels, 7-3.

"We played strong today and drove in runs when we needed to. It's important to win games against your rivals," said Cruz.

Matt Harrison (7-3) allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings to earn the win.

Oakland, meanwhile, returns home tonight limping after dropping two of three to the Kansas City Royals, including a 2-0 setback in Sunday's rubber match at Kauffman Stadium.

Tommy Milone (6-5) allowed two runs on eight hits and a walk over seven innings for the Athletics, who have dropped 10 of their last 11 overall.

"A shutout's a shutout," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. "I thought we were going to score some runs, especially early on and we did not capitalize on the opportunities."

Taking the hill for the A's tonight will be righty Jarrod Parker, who has been terrific his last two times out, but has nothing to show for it. Parker scattered four hits over six scoreless innings against Minnesota on Tuesday, but walked four batters and did not factor in the decision of his team's 3-2 loss. He had given up a run in seven innings in a no-decision his previous time out.

The Athletics have scored two runs or fewer in three of Parker's last four starts -- all losses.

Oakland split a two-game set with Texas earlier in the year.