SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (TEXAS-BALTIMORE) BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- A pair of .500 pitchers open a three-game series at Camden Yards tonight when the Texas Rangers visit the Baltimore Orioles. Rick Helling (4-4, 5.54 ERA) has won four of his last five starts for Texas, including a solid effort against Baltimore last Saturday. He allowed just one run and six hits over eight innings in an 8-1 triumph and improved to 2-2 against the Orioles. In his last five starts since opening 0-3, Helling has allowed 14 runs and 35 hits over 33 innings. Sidney Ponson (3-3, 5.12) started against Texas last Sunday and surrendered three runs and eight hits over seven innings in a 16-5 rout for his third win in four starts. Ponson improved to 2-1 against the Rangers lifetime. Ponson has been remarkable in his last two starts at home, allowing just two runs and nine hits over 14 innings. Rafael Palmeiro homered twice and knocked in three runs and Tom Goodwin laced the go-ahead single in the eighth inning helping Texas snap a three-game skid with a 7-6 triumph over Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Palmeiro left the Orioles to sign a five-year, $45 million deal with the Rangers in the offseason. Despite a pair of RBI from Cal Ripken, Baltimore suffered its eight loss in 10 games with a 6-4 setback on Thursday against Anaheim. Texas captured three of four games from the Orioles last weekend in Arlington.  