Texas staff ace Kevin Millwood has pitched well in April, allowing just three earned runs in his first three starts en route to a 1.29 ERA. Despite his effectiveness in the early going, Millwood was winless until he claimed a 3-1 win over Baltimore in Thursday’s doubleheader sweep of the Orioles.

The 33-year-old right-hander should have more to show for his efforts, but a lack of run support has stuck him with two losses in which he has allowed just two earned runs combined.

Among the 26 pitchers who have made three starts in 2008, only Barry Zito of the Giants has received less run support per nine innings (RSA).

Lowest Run Support per 9 Innings, 2008
(minimum three starts)

Pitcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IP. . . . . . . . .W-L. . . . . . . . .ERA. . . . . . . . .RSA
Barry Zito, SF. . . . . . . . . . . . .16.0. . . . . . . . 0-3. . . . . . . . . 4.50. . . . . . . . .1.13
Kevin Millwood, Tex. . . . . . . . 21.0. . . . . . . . 1-2. . . . . . . . . 1.29. . . . . . . . .2.14
Jon Lester, Bos. . . . . . . . . . . 16.0. . . . . . . . 1-2. . . . . . . . . 4.50. . . . . . . . .2.25
Odalis Perez, Was. . . . . . . . . .14.2. . . . . . . . 0-2. . . . . . . . . 4.91. . . . . . . . .2.45
Carlos Zambrano, ChC. . . . . . .19.2. . . . . . . . .1-1. . . . . . . . .2.30. . . . . . . . .2.75
Gil Meche, KC. . . . . . . . . . . . 17.2. . . . . . . . 0-2. . . . . . . . . 7.13. . . . . . . . .3.06

Although Zito has received just two runs of support in his three 2008 outings, he wasn’t anywhere near his best his first two times out. The Giants were blanked in lopsided games with the Dodgers and Brewers in those starts. Zito was only marginally better Friday night, an 8-2 loss in which the Giants finally scored with him in the game.

Millwood and Carlos Zambrano are the only two in the group with a sub-4.00 ERA, but Millwood clearly is the hard-luck pitcher of the first two weeks of the season. He easily could be 3-0 with a little help from his friends.