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Pudge poised for record-setting series

Houston (29-32) at Texas (35-27), 7:05 p.m. CT

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By Tom Singer / MLB.com

06/14/09 10:41 PM ET

PHOENIX -- Ivan Rodriguez will make his visit to Arlington memorable -- a good thing, because the Astros can use the distraction of his impending record-setting game to get their minds off some more pressing personnel issues as they dive into two daunting weeks of Interleague Play.

Rodriguez will catch for the 2,226th time in Tuesday's series opener with the Rangers and make it 2,227 on Wednesday -- tying, then breaking Carlton Fisk's Major League record for games caught, in the cradle of his Hall of Fame-caliber career.

That much we know. Manager Cecil Cooper has it scripted, but even he doesn't know about some of his other key players entering the opener of the series against the Rangers.

• Carlos Lee, who missed his first start of the season on Sunday after leaving in the middle of Saturday night's game against the D-backs, may be coping with more than the left-leg cramps cited for that departure.

"He did feel his hamstring a little bit," Cooper said. "He's got two days, and we'll see how he feels Tuesday."

• It turns out that left-hander Mike Hampton exited his Friday night start "with a little tenderness in the groin area," according to Cooper, who thus has slotted righty Russ Ortiz into Wednesday's start against the Rangers.

• Cooper will also have to "wait until Tuesday to see" about right-hander Chris Sampson, who, after allowing three straight baserunners, was removed from Saturday's game with a "tired arm."

• Finally, the health watch will continue for infielders Jeff Keppinger (back) and Geoff Blum (strained left hamstring), both of whom had to sit out the last two games in Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez will keep going like clockwork. Cooper said that Rodriguez "would get in Tuesday's game at some point," suggesting that Humberto Quintero would start that game before giving way to Pudge and the attendant fanfare. Rodriguez then would start the record-breaker on Wednesday.

"I started there in 1991, and to be able to break [the record] in Texas will be nice," Rodriguez said. "It'll be nice for my family and the fans. I played there 11 years, and the fans are great. I think they're looking forward to it, too."

Rodriguez's wife, Claudia, the couple's kids, his parents and countless friends will be in The Ballpark to share the satisfying moment.

"It will be a great thing to do," Rodriguez said with pride. "It will be a good day."

Pitching matchup
HOU: LHP Wandy Rodriguez (5-5, 2.82 ERA)
After going 0-3 in his past three starts and giving up a combined 18 runs (12 earned) on 29 hits and five walks in 14 2/3 innings, Rodriguez settled into a groove on Tuesday. There had been rumblings that he may have been tipping his pitches the past few times out, but he rediscovered his form. He gave up just one run over seven innings against the Cubs, striking out six and receiving a no-decision for his effort. He didn't pitch against Texas earlier this season. Last year he beat the Rangers in his only start against them, giving up one run over eight innings. He has never lost to the Rangers in his career, winning all three starts against them, compiling a 3.26 ERA.

TEX: RHP Kevin Millwood (6-4, 2.72 ERA)
Millwood won his sixth game of the season after holding the Blue Jays scoreless over 7 2/3 innings on Thursday. Despite a 2.72 ERA, this was only his second consecutive victory this season. He has a 2.19 ERA at home. He has now thrown 100 or more pitches in 11 of 13 starts and finished at least the seventh inning in 10 of 13.

Tidbits
Michael Bourn tops the National League, with 22 steals. ... Two doubles in Sunday's game left Miguel Tejada two shy of 400 for his career. ... In the series against the D-backs, the Astros batted .368 (7-for-19) with men in scoring position. ... Lance Berkman had gone more than a year without homering in consecutive games before connecting on Saturday and Sunday; he'd last gone game-to-game on June 8-10 of last season. ... As planned, second baseman Kazuo Matsui will be activated prior to Tuesday night's game. He went on the disabled list on May 26 with a strained left hamstring and completed his rehab with Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday.

Tickets
 Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.

On the Internet
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• FS-H

On radio
• KTRH 740, KLAT 1010 (Español)

Up next
• Wednesday: Astros (Russ Ortiz, 3-2, 3.48) at Rangers (Matt Harrison, 4-4, 5.43), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Thursday: Astros (Roy Oswalt, 3-3, 4.37) at Rangers (Vicente Padilla, 5-3, 4.82), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Friday: Astros (TBD) at Twins (Kevin Slowey, 9-2, 4.23), 7:10 p.m. CT

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.