Texas @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2010 ) Texas 2, Toronto 7

If the Texas Rangers are serious about ending a four-game losing streak, they might want to start by pitching more carefully to Vernon Wells.

The Toronto outfielder looks to continue his dominance of Texas as the Blue Jays host the Rangers in the second of a four-game series Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre. The Jays come in having won six of seven meetings with Texas this season, including the last six in a row.

The Rangers were outmatched in Monday's series opener, and like most of their meetings this season, Wells was a difference maker. He belted a three-run homer as part of a five-run third inning as Toronto cruised to a 7-2 victory, moving them to within four wins of equaling their total from last season.

Wells has eviscerated Ranger pitching this season. The 31-year-old is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with six home runs and 14 RBIs in the seven head-to-head meetings, a major reason why Toronto has had so much success against Texas on the year.

Wells is enjoying a modest bounce-back compared to last season, when he hit .260 with 15 homers and 66 RBIs while batting injuries all season long. He's at .266 in 2010 but has erupted for 25 home runs and 75 RBIs with 25 games left on the calendar.

Aaron Hill also went deep in Monday's victory while Ricky Romero improved to 3-0 for his career versus the Rangers, having allowed just three earned runs in 29 1/3 innings all-time against Texas.

Toronto will look for more of the same from Shaun Marcum (11-7), who has found victories hard to come by of late. The 28-year-old has just one win in his last six outings, despite pitching well enough to win each of his previous two starts.

Marcum allowed a run over six innings against Detroit on Aug. 27 but was left with a no-decision in a game Toronto won 3-2. His line was similar five nights later as he limited Tampa Bay to a run over six frames but didn't figure in the decision as the Rays went on to win 2-1.

Marcum is 1-0 all-time against the Rangers with a 5.33 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. He has faced them just once this season, allowing three runs on two hits over seven innings on the way to a no-decision in his first start of the season Apr. 5. The Rangers won that game 5-4, and haven't beaten the Jays since.

With Cliff Lee missing Tuesday's start with a back injury, Scott Feldman (6-9) gets the call for Texas. The veteran right-hander hasn't pitched since Aug. 21, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list a day later with a bone bruise in his right knee.

Feldman has just one victory since the All-Star break, earning a win for a two-inning stint in an 11-6 triumph over Oakland on Aug. 4. He's 0-3 for his career against Toronto with a 5.94 ERA in 36 1/3 innings.