ARLINGTON -- Dana Eveland has gone from feeling a pop in his elbow two starts ago to feeling so fresh Monday against Baltimore that he has relied almost exclusively on his fastball.

So what will be have in store for the Rangers on Saturday?

What he hopes is good enough stuff to stay with Kevin Millwood, who is sure to be pitching with momentum from the Rangers' three consecutive shutouts after Friday's 4-0 victory over the A's.

For Eveland, he says he can't try to compete against that.

"It's just another day," Eveland said. "I just have to go out there and do my thing."

Eveland has proven he can cope with just about any situation. He heard a noise in his left elbow that sounded like a knuckle popping during the Athletics' 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on April 30. He had some tenderness in his elbow after the game, but still made his scheduled start on Monday.

With his command off on his fastball against Baltimore, Eveland tried to overpower hitters, hitting 94 mph on the radar gun several times. He didn't allow a run for the second start this season, and the A's went on to beat the Orioles in extra innings, 2-1.

Eveland allowed just three hits and four walks while pitching into the eighth inning. Amazingly, he felt great on Monday.

"I was feeling good that day," Eveland said. "I felt fresh."

The A's are 5-2 in his starts as Eveland has helped make the trade of Dan Haren to Arizona a boon earlier than expected. The A's are 10-2 when he and Greg Smith, also acquired in the trade, have started this season.

Pitching matchup
OAK: LHP Dana Eveland (3-2, 3.05 ERA)
Eveland stays in the A's rotation because he keeps opposing hitters in the ballpark. He has allowed one home run in 41 1/3 innings, third lowest in the American League. He makes his eighth start on Saturday, and will try to make it his fifth in which he has allowed one run or less after blanking Baltimore earlier this week. Eveland is 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA in four starts on the road. He has never faced the Rangers.

TEX: RHP Kevin Millwood (2-3, 4.94 ERA)
Millwood tries to get out of what is now a three-start slump. He lasted a season-low three innings during a 7-3 loss to Seattle on Monday, in which he was rocked for seven runs. Millwood has a 9.98 ERA in his last three starts, after posting a 2.53 ERA in his first five. He is 3-3 with a 4.34 ERA in 10 starts versus the A's.

Tidbits
Manager Bob Geren said third baseman Eric Chavez had his best day so far rehabbing from offseason back surgery. Geren said he has a feeling that the All-Star third baseman could be ready to come back when he is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list on May 27. Chavez took early batting practice and took 25 ground balls, moving well in the field, Geren said. Chavez might try some slow rollers and more difficult infield practice Saturday. ... Outfielder Travis Buck (shin splints), on a Minor League rehab assignment with Sacramento, is 2-for-16 with five starts in center field. ... The A's have used a pinch-hitter in nine of the last 10 games. They are only 2-for-13 during that stretch. ... Right fielder Emil Brown had a go-ahead RBI in all three games of the Baltimore series and is second in the AL with eight, behind Boston's Manny Ramirez.

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Up next
• Sunday: Athletics (Rich Harden, 1-0, 0.82) at Rangers (Sidney Ponson, 2-0, 1.33), 12:05 p.m. PT
• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Athletics (Justin Duchscherer, 3-1, 2.45) at Indians (Paul Byrd, 1-3, 4.28), 4:05 p.m. PT