Nelson Cruz now has five home runs and 11 RBI, and the season is just a week old.
There’s not much any pitcher can do to get him out right now. Former Ranger and current Indian right-hander Jamey Wright found that out the hard way.
After a leadoff single from Josh Hamilton, Cruz came to the plate with one out in the 10th inning and clobbered a pitch to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead. The homer was particularly clutch since the Rangers squandered a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth after Michael Young grounded into a double play on the first pitch he saw from Jamey Wright.
In the bottom of the inning, Neftali Feliz had the adrenaline flowing as he was called upon for his first save opportunity of the year. To call him a flame-thrower probably doesn’t do Feliz any justice as he reached 101 mph at least twice during his 1-2-3 inning. He wasn’t afraid to show off his 90 mph changeup either.
After two blown saves that both turned into losses for Frank Francisco and the Rangers, Feliz has been named the closer, while Francisco will work on his location, velocity and mound presence during less pressure-packed situations, according to manager Ron Washington.
Well, I don’t know if the bottom of the ninth inning of a 2-2 ballgame on the road fits that description in my book. After all, it’s been the top of the ninth when Francisco has given up eight hits and six earned runs in two appearances. Thursday was three up and three down, although Francisco should thank Elvis Andrus for his smothering catch on a Matt LaPorta liner that would have gone up the middle.
At the plate, Andrus has been working the count extremely well and earned three walks and a single Monday.
A Shin-Soo Choo first-inning home run off Rich Harden gave the Indians the 1-0 lead that they carried into the top of the fifth. Second baseman Joaquin Arias, who has connected for three hits in each of the last two games, led off with an infield single. After a Taylor Teagarden strikeout, Andrus singled and Young singled to level the game at 1-1. With a runner at third, Josh Hamilton came to the plate, Indians starter Fausto Carmona threw a wild pitch during the at-bat to allow the second run to score.
In the top of the sixth, Choo who went 3 for 3, singled off Harden. Next, Travis Hafner walked, but Andrus committed an error while trying to catch Choo off the bag. He ended up at third and scored on a wild pitch during the LaPorta at-bat. Luis Valbuena hit a fly out to center fielder Julio Borbon, who quickly released the ball and gunned down Hafner at home plate to keep the score tied.
Harden showed he is more than a strikeout pitcher, and walks weren’t a problem. He registered two strikeouts and three walks in seven innings pitched, giving up both Indian runs. Veteran Darren Oliver came on with two outs in the seventh and struck out three in the eighth.
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