FRISCO, Texas (AP) - Rangers right-hander Kris Benson allowed three runs over five innings Sunday in the first of his two scheduled rehab starts for Double-A Frisco.
Benson, recovering from right elbow tendinitis, lost to Corpus Christi and Brandon Backe, the Houston Astros right-hander also making a rehab start.Backe allowed two hits over five scoreless innings in Corpus Christi's 4-0 victory. Backe, on the disabled list all season with a strained left rib cage muscle, threw 72 pitches (48 strikes) in the second of his five scheduled rehab starts.
Benson, placed on the DL on April 22 after going 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts for Texas, threw 44 of 62 pitches for strikes. He made the Rangers' roster in spring training after not pitching in the majors since 2006 following elbow ligament replacement surgery.
Benson and Backe have pitched in a combined 17 major league seasons, but have never started against each other in a big league game.
