The Texas Rangers will try to complete a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals tonight when the two teams get together in St. Louis for the third and final game of their weekend series.

While it won't erase the bitter memory of losing the 2011 World Series, a sweep of the Cardinals could help the Rangers increase their lead atop the AL West.

The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright will try to thwart the Rangers' attempt at a season-high fifth straight victory by becoming the NL's first 11-game winner Sunday night.

In its first trip to Busch Stadium since blowing Games 6 and 7 of the 2011 World Series, Texas (43-32) has handled St. Louis so far, rallying for a 6-4 win Friday and taking control early in a 4-2 victory Saturday. 

The Rangers' fifth win in six contests coupled with an Oakland loss in Seattle pushed Texas percentage points ahead of the Athletics in the division, as reported by mlb.com. The Rangers trailed Oakland by three games after losing for a sixth straight time last Sunday.

The Rangers have cut their deficit in part by scoring 33 runs in their last six games, including three wins against the A's earlier this week. They plated 39 during a 4-11 start to this month.

"We're just taking a lot of energy and a lot of intensity into each game," outfielder David Murphy told the team's website. "Obviously, we're swinging the bat better and pitching well, things are going better."

Wainwright, the Cards ace, suffered a 4-2 loss to the lowly Chicago Cubs on Tuesday by giving up four runs in seven innings. He had a 1.64 ERA during his season-best win streak.

"If they had a happy zone, I found it," Wainwright said. "I threw it in the worst possible spot every time."

He'll try to join Detroit's Max Scherzer as the only 11-game winners in the majors. Wainwright will also try to help spoil the struggling Nick Tepesch's first start in his home state.

The rookie right-hander is 0-2 with a 9.77 ERA in his last three starts and matched a career worst by allowing six runs in his 3 2/3 innings against Oakland on Monday.