A Team Effort: Rangers 7 Athletics 4

When I saw the bottom of the Rangers lineup for Thursday night’s game against the Oakland A’s, I have to admit I got a little worried. On paper, Joaquin Arias, Mitch Moreland and Taylor Teagarden don’t carry the necessary punch needed for an intra-division rivalry.

Moreland, a first baseman, was called up for his Major League debut, the resulting roster move after Ian Kinsler went on the disabled list with a groin strain – an injury I don’t remember occurring. Joaquin Arias, who started the game at second, has only played in a handful of games during the past two months, although one was a three-hit bonanza for him. Teagarden had been in the minors since May but became the backup to Bengie Molina when Matt Treanor strained his knee last week.

So it looked like the bottom of the order might be simple, easy outs. Not the case. Moreland lined a 3-1 pitch for a single to right like it was no big deal for his first Major League when he came up in the second inning. The hit came off Ben Mazzaro, who is even younger Moreland. Moreland added a second single in the eighth.

Looking to put his season mark of 1-for-27 in the big leagues behind him, Teagarden put an exclamation point on a 5-3 game in the sixth with a long two-run blast to make it 7-3 and get officially off the snide. The home was the second of the inning after David Murphy parked one in the seats to begin the inning. Moreland hit a long fly ball to center that was caught at the wall.

Michael Young went 4-for-4 with three runs scored. Josh Hamilton had three hits and run scored, while Vladimir Guerrero tallied a pair of RBIs.

Homer All the Rangers Need: Rangers 1 Angels 0

Michael Young understands the gravity of these four games with the Angels.

For the second day in a row, Young hit the ball over the fence in his first at-bat, giving the Rangers an early 1-0 lead Friday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. It’s all the Rangers would need to get their first 1-0 win at home in 13 months.

Young doubled in his second at-bat, and Nelson Cruz hit an infield single and a bloop shot into very shallow right field in the second and fourth innings, respectively. For the game, the Rangers manufactured seven hits and left five men on base against Joe Saunders. A product of Ron Washington’s aggressive approach, both Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler were caught on the bases.

Starter C.J. Wilson only allowed four singles, and a runner never advanced to second base. Much like Cliff Lee, Wilson also improved to 9-5 and walked nobody while striking out three in eight innings. Walks have been a struggle for Wilson most of this season, his first full season as a starter.

Neftali Feliz came in and got a flyout, groundout and strikeout, all in just nine pitches for his 27th save.

Rangers, Lee Continue To Stride: Rangers 3 Angels 2

With a 3-2 win over the Angels in front of a very good Thursday night crowd of 39,876, the Rangers now have a six game in the AL West, their largest lead since 1999.

Cliff Lee got his first win in a Rangers uniform in the process and improved to 9-4 on the season. In 8 1/3 innings, he threw 99 pitches, struck out four and walked no one. Lee outdueled Jared Weaver in a marquee matchup of the aces for the respective teams.

Ian Kinsler continued his hitting streak. Michael Young homered in the first inning.

Ogando Can't Pick Up Lee: Red Sox 3 Rangers 2 (11)

On Saturday, Cliff Lee continued with the workhorse mentality that has gotten him six complete games this season.

Another nine-inning performance by Lee, which included 75 strikes, was spoiled when Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youklis doubled on a 2-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to score Marco Scutaro, who singled to start the inning, and tie the game at 2-2.

In the no-decision, Lee pitched nine innings, giving up two runs and one intentional walk to Adrian Beltre in the ninth. Lee has just seven walks on the season against 91 strikeouts.

But reliever Alexi Ogando, who pitched a scoreless tenth, thanks to an excellent game-saving running catch by Nelson Cruz, wasn’t so lucky in the eleventh. He pitched to three batters, did not record an out and committed a two-base throwing error that put the Rangers in an even bigger jam. The miscue, on a ball that should have been a simple play, put runners at second and third. Youklis, who tied the game in the ninth, now facing Darren O’Day, hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Scutaro.

Lee located his pitches better and was more efficient than John Lackey, who threw 115 pitches in seven innings.

Tomorrow’s final game of the series pits C.J. Wilson against Jon Lester.

An Unlikely Sweep: Orioles 4 Rangers 1

It appears the Rangers really do need a break after hitting the low point of their season so far: a four-game sweep by the Orioles at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

After an Ian Kinsler homer game the Rangers the lead in the first, Orioles starter Jake Arrieta, a TCU product, and three relievers kept the Rangers scoreless for the remaining eight innings.

Rangers’ starter C.J. Wilson racked up a pitch count of 111 in 4 2/3 innings. Wilson’s early exit came down to the three earned runs he allowed, all in the second inning, and five bases on balls. Two of the walks were to Miguel Tejada, who received three free passes despite a low season total. Tejada also homered in the ninth off Frank Francisco for the Orioles final run.

Arrieta surrendered one run in 6 1/3 innings in his return to the metroplex. The win completed the first four-game home sweep by an opposing team in Arlington in five seasons.

Watch the Rangers six All-Stars (including Cliff Lee) Tuesday night from Anaheim..

At the Top of the Cliff

The Rangers made a big move Friday afternoon by acquiring 2008 Cy Young Award winner to lead their rotation. In the deal, rookie first baseman Justin Smoak heads north to Seattle as the centerpiece of the trade. The Rangers also sent three minor leaguers in Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke and Matt Lawson, none of them top prospects to the Mariners. The move is the biggest sign in years that the Rangers recognize the importance of winning now.

Lee has pitched four consecutive complete games and had an 8-3 record and 2.34 ERA in 13 starts totaling 103.2 innings. He will take the mound tonight in the third of four games against Baltimore.

If not for slow Internet, this message would have been posted last night.

Young Helps Key Victory: Rangers 4 Indians 3

• When it looked like the Indians were grabbing momentum, Michael Young, in All-Star fashion, hit a 2-run homer to tie the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning, Vote for Young to be the final AL All-Star until 3 p.m. Thursday: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2010/fv/ballot.html
• Julio Borbon’s infield hit set up Young’s home run in the fifth. He also doubled in the sixth inning to score Matt Treanor and put the Rangers ahead to stay at 4-3.
• Named AL Player of the Month for June, Josh Hamilton continues to be in the grooves of all grooves. He tallied an RBI single Wednesday and a home run Tuesday,
• Tyler Morris, the fan who fell from Rangers Ballpark’s second deck Tuesday, suffered a fractured skull and a broken ankle and foot. Morris is expected to recover.

Happy Birthday, Tommy Hunter: Rangers 3 White Sox 1

Don’t mess with Tommy Hunter ­– especially on his birthday. The former two-time Junior Olympic Judo champion turned 24 today.

Last year on his birthday, Hunter got his first Major League win. This year, he improved to 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in six starts. With a bulldog mentality, Hunter threw 94 pitches and 68 strikes in seven innings. He was operating at peak efficiency in the sixth inning when he needed just three pitches to retire the side, a rare feat. Despite allowing a single to Paul Konerko, former Ranger Andruw Jones hit into a 5-4-3 double play and Mark Kotsay grounded to first. The only run charged to Hunter’s ledger scored after Frank Francisco took over.

The Rangers scored in the second, the fifth and the seventh. The first two runs came off White Sox starter John Danks, a former top prospect in the Rangers organization.

In the second, the Rangers grabbed the early lead on an RBI groundout by Joaquin Arias, who started at first base for Justin Smoak. The groundout followed an infield single by Josh Hamilton, a single by Nelson Cruz and a walk by Bengie Molina. Molina was acquired earlier this week from the San Francisco Giants for Chris Ray and prospect Michael Main. The trade means that Matt Treanor will now serve as the backup backstop and Max Ramirez was sent down to Oklahoma City.

The Rangers played small ball in the fifth. Arias singled to lead off the fifth and Julio Borbon bunted him over to second before Elvis Andrus dropped a shallow single into the outfield for an RBI.

Nelson Cruz came in from third after Smoak pinch hit for Arias in the seventh and grounded into the Rangers’ third twin killing of the game. Josh Hamilton hit into a double play in the sixth inning for the first time this season. He was the only remaining everyday player to have not grouded into a double play.

Happy Birthday, Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz turns 30 today. He’s an offensive powerhouse and a defense stalwart. Just remember his throw to cut down an Angel at home plate Tuesday. The lineup’s #6 hitter has been limited to just 40 games this season due to hamstring injuries, so his 10 home runs and 39 RBI’s aren’t representative of his true power. Hopefully, he will stay healthy and help the Rangers increase their 4.5 game lead over the Angels.

Note: On Wednesday, Vlad Guerrero hit two home runs, a double and a single against his former team. His grand slam turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Josh Hamilton extended his hitting streak to 23 games in the eighth inning of the 6-4 victory.