Texas Rangers Team Report - May 4

(Sports Network) - In the tightly contested American League West, where all four clubs are separated by just five games, the Texas Rangers hope to record their second straight win and the fifth in the last seven contests as they close out a three-game series with the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field on Sunday.

A two-run double by Alex Rodriguez in the seventh put the Rangers over the top for the 6-5 win on the road on Saturday after the Tribe captured a win by the same score a day earlier.

Ryan Christenson had two hits and a pair of RBI, while Carl Everett finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI for Texas, which ended a two-game losing streak.

Jay Powell earned the win. He pitched two shutout innings of relief with one strikeout. Powell and starter Todd Van Poppel were both activated from the disabled list prior to the game.

Van Poppel, who made his first start since 2000, lasted four innings and permitted five runs -- three earned -- and five hits. Ugueth Urbina hurled a perfect ninth for his ninth save of 2003.

On tap to take the mound for the Rangers on Sunday is John Thomson. The 29- year-old righthander has posted two straight wins since opening the season with a couple of setbacks.

On Tuesday Thomson was on the winning side of a 16-11 slugfest against the Toronto Blue Jays. In that contest he gave up four runs on seven hits, over the course of five innings, but also registered only one strikeout.

Although he is a six-year veteran, Thomson has a record of just 0-1 and a 7.20 ERA against the Indians all-time.

Although they failed to go deep on Saturday, the Rangers still lead the majors with a total of 55 home runs. Juan Gonzalez (11), Everett (10) and Rodriguez (10) are all among the league leaders in the department, while Rafael Palmeiro is just two home runs shy of the magical 500 mark,

05/04 10:20:25 ET