one more time again

In today’s rubber game of a three-game set between playoff contenders, Roy Oswalt will get another spot start for Texas at Tampa Bay. The former Holmes Community College standout has made two previous spot starts (four earned runs in 10 total innings) since being pulled from the Rangers’ rotation. Oswalt, 4-2 with a 5.85 ERA, is getting a shot today because former Mississippi Braves ace Matt Harrison was pushed back to Tuesday. Oswalt has made just one appearance since Aug. 23 for the first-place Rangers, who lead the American League West by 4½ games. Texas manager Ron Washington said he is hoping for five innings from Oswalt, who will be opposed by the Rays’ James Shields. P.S. Former M-Braves star Andrelton Simmons homered and scored twice on Saturday to help Class A Lynchburg win the opener of the 5-game Carolina League championship series. Simmons, out since early July with a broken finger, reportedly will rejoin the Atlanta club on Monday. … Former M-Braves outfielder Matt Esquivel had one of the two hits Roger Clemens allowed Friday night in his second “comeback” appearance with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League. Esquivel is hitting .300 for the Long Island Ducks.