(Sports Network) - Struggling right-hander Justin Verlander makes his fifth attempt at a first win of 2008 tonight when the Detroit Tigers host the Texas Rangers in the first of three midweek games at Comerica Park.

A 25-year-old former first-round draft pick, Verlander has been hit hard in each of his four previous starts this season, giving up 22 hits and 19 earned runs over 24 1/3 innings of work.

He was touched for seven hits and five runs over five innings in his most recent appearance, an 11-1 loss to Cleveland on April 17 at Jacobs Field.

Verlander, who was 18-6 with a 3.66 earned run average in 32 starts last season, is 3-1 in four lifetime starts against the Rangers with a 2.49 ERA in 25 1/3 innings.

Texas counters with veteran right-hander Vicente Padilla.

Unbeaten in four career starts against the Tigers, Padilla has split his last two starts of 2008 overall, giving up four runs in six innings while losing to Toronto on April 11, then returning to beat them on April 17.

In 26 innings this season, the Nicaraguan has given up 31 hits and nine earned runs.

Texas enters this series after getting swept in a four-game set by the Boston Red Sox, including an 8-3 setback in Monday's finale at Fenway Park. Josh Hamilton drove in two and Gerald Laird added an RBI for the Rangers, losers in nine of their last 11.

Dustin Nippert (1-2) was torched in the loss, charged with nine hits and eight runs with four walks and two strikeouts over 2 1/3 relief innings. Starter Kason Gabbard allowed three walks and fanned one over two hitless innings before leaving with stiffness in his back.

Detroit, meanwhile, earned a split in its four-game affair with the Toronto Blue Jays, as Ryan Raburn collected two RBI and scored once to help lift the Tigers to a 5-1 win in Monday's finale from Rogers Centre.

Edgar Renteria homered and scored twice, while Ivan Rodriguez added four hits and a run batted in for the Tigers, who have won five of eight.

Armando Galarraga (2-0) allowed just three hits over 5 1/3 scoreless frames, striking out four but walking four to win his second consecutive start for Detroit.

Detroit won five of its nine meetings a year ago with the Rangers and holds a slight 14-11 edge in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign. However, Texas has won seven of its last 12 in the Motor City.