Game 1: Orioles 5 Rangers 0
Game 2: Rangers 13 Orioles 1
The Rangers offense must have gotten caught in airport security because it didn’t show up for the inaugural road contest of the season, Game 1 of a doubleheader at Camden Yards and was fashionably late for Game 2, although when it arrived, the Rangers made sure everyone knew it.
The Rangers mustered only five hits in a Game 1 shutout at the hands of rookie Zach Britton. When the Rangers did have a runner on base, they quickly grounded into three double plays to erase their own chances. Needless to say, that is not a recipe for winning. While the offense remained stalled at a security checkpoint, catcher Yorvit Torreabla did throw out a runner attempting to steal second base for the first time this season. He had gone 0 for 4 in that pursuit during the first week of the season,
The Rangers did not dwell on the team’s first loss of the season because there was no time to waste on that. Colby Lewis dropped to 1-1 after taking the loss.
In the first two innings of Game 2, the offense had made its way out of the airport but then got stuck in traffic. Baltimore starter Jack Arrieta, a former TCU hurler, retired the first six Rangers without any resistance.
But after not playing in Game 1, David Murphy, just like he did on Opening Day, busted through what nobody else could at the time for a leadoff walk to begin the third inning. Walks can be bad signs, and this one opened the flood gates against Arrieta.
The bottom of the order (Murphy, Mike Napoli & Mitch Moreland) loaded the bases. Ian Kinsler was out on a fielder’s choice. With the bases still loaded and one out, Elvis Andrus hammered a two-run single into the gap. AL MVP Josh Hamilton followed suit and Adrian Beltre left no doubt about his two-run contribution over the wall. In a blink, a 1-0 deficit transformed into a 6-1 lead.
Matt Harrison, the Rangers' best pitcher one time through the rotation, went to the mound with renewed energy and confidence after his team took the lead. But he was already amped up following a second-inning homer by center fielder Adam Jones. After the home run, Harrison struck out the next three hitters and retired 18 in a row to complete seven innings.
In the fourth, Napoli homered and Moreland singled to officially end Arrieta’s night. His replacement, former Ranger Josh Rupe, allowed an RBI double to Kinsler. Arrieta’s line included eight earned runs, five strikeouts and two walks.
A Nelson Cruz sacrifice fly RBI increased the lead to 9-1 in the seventh. It was 10-1 after a Beltre double in the ninth scored Hamilton, who had two hits in each game. Nelson Cruz finished it off with a 3-run home run, which scored Beltre and Michael Young.
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