(My Sportsbook) - Rookie southpaw Matt Harrison makes the 10th start of his major league career and tries to regain the momentum of a recent three-game win streak tonight when the Texas Rangers visit Kauffman Stadium to close out a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals.

Harrison, a third-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2003, made his debut on July 8 with a 3-2 defeat of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and ran his record to 5-2 with consecutive defeats of the New York Yankees, Baltimore and Tampa Bay between Aug. 5 and 16.

He fell slightly back to Earth on Aug. 22, however, after being roughed up for seven hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 7-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Overall, the 23-year-old native of Durham, N.C. has allowed 56 hits and 33 earned runs in 47 1/3 innings.

He has never faced the Royals.

For Kansas City, second-generation big leaguer Brian Bannister tries again to end a winless skid that's now reached 10 starts and stretched over two full months.

Bannister, whose father, Floyd, pitched for several teams, including the Royals, in the 1980's, was 7-6 on the season after defeating Colorado, 8-4, in an interleague game on June 23.

He's 0-for-10 in terms of wins since, losing seven decisions and watching his earned run average swell from 4.47 after the win over the Rockies to 5.89 following a 4-3 loss to Detroit on Aug. 22, in which he gave up five hits and four runs in eight innings.

The low point came one start earlier at Yankee Stadium, when the 27-year-old was raked for 10 hits and 10 runs while recording only three outs in a 15-6 loss to New York.

He is 1-1 in three career starts against the Rangers with a 5.82 ERA in 17 innings.

On Tuesday, Kevin Millwood went the distance for the second straight time and Milton Bradley drove in a run to lead the Rangers in a 2-1 victory over the Royals.

Millwood (8-7) gave up a run on nine hits while fanning a pair without issuing a walk over his time on the mound. Joaquin Arias and Brandon Boggs both scored for the Rangers, who have won their last two.

KC starter Zack Greinke lasted six frames and gave up an unearned run on four hits while fanning five and walking just one.

Ramon Ramirez (2-2) absorbed the loss as he was touched for another unearned run on three hits in two innings of work. Miguel Olivo went 3-for-4 and knocked in the lone run for the Royals, who have dropped two in a row and nine of their last 10.

Texas has won six of eight from the Royals this season.