Royals rookie catcher Brayan Pena has hit three three-run homers against the Rangers this season including one against Rangers starter Alexi Ogando on Sunday in the last game of the home stand.
But it was Pena’s own mental error coupled with some aggressive baserunning from the Rangers’ own catcher Mike Napoli that capped a comeback that included a pair runs in each of the final two innings. Following a Nelson Cruz homer that quickly knotted the game at six to begin the ninth, Napoli reached on a single into the gap. With a loaded bench for the day, the Rangers pinch hit Mitch Moreland and David Murphy, who both struck out swinging. In his second at-bat of the day, Elvis Andrus singled deep down the right field line in place of Ian Kinsler, who was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Mike Estabrook, to end the fifth inning. Napoli, who most likely would have stopped at third, was waved home by third base coach Dave Anderson. The relay throw had him out by miles, but the savvy Napoli slid his feet across the plate before Pena tagged his chest. Replays showed the call was correct as the Rangers got their first walkoff victory of the season.
Both Nefali Feliz and Joaquim Soria have struggled to lockdown games this season. Coming into a tie game, Feliz allowed a leadoff double to Chris Getz, who advanced to third on a Cruz bobble and a sacrifice fly to Alcides Escobar to give the Royals a brief lead before the aforementioned at-bat by Cruz to lead off the Rangers’ ninth. Feliz has three blown saves recently and each of his last five outings have been extremely nerve-racking. He hasn’t looked like the confident flame thrower who won the Rookie of the Year Award last season. Feliz is an integral part of the Rangers’ success, and the Rangers need to be able to rely on him to close games.
The eighth inning was replete with its own drama. With Andres Blanco on base and the team down 5-3, the Rangers were craving a big hit – and they got a mammoth one with two outs. Michael Young’s two-run shot over the wall in right tied the score at five. Young also put a double a deep fly ball to Alex Gordon in the stat book. Also, Kinsler went yard in the third and Napoli in the fifth.
Ogando allowed five runs on five hits in the fourth inning and got a no-decision. Darren Oliver was credited with the win.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Matt Harrison Returns To Form: Rangers 2 Phillies 0
Matt Harrison came to the mound with a mission Sunday. After the lineup was shutout by former teammate Cliff Lee on Saturday, Harrison was fully aware there wasn’t any room for error.
The state of the bullpen doesn’t provide any peace f mind either.
Harrison’s answer was to throw 117 pitches over 8 1/3 innings to outduel former Astros ace Roy Oswalt. After losing two close games to Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday, the karma finally tilted the Rangers’ way. The Phillies hit some smashes right at people, and the Rangers outfielders ran down all the plays. (Nod to Craig Gentry, who will likely return to Triple-A after the anticipated activations of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz for Monday’s game against the White Sox. The sputtering offense will also get a major boost with the return of the two All-Stars.
With the easy offensive firepower missing in action, the Rangers went to baseball fundamentals to score. Michael Young, the only guy in the order hitting consistently, led off the top of the sixth inning with a single. Adrian Beltre advanced him to second with a sacrifice groundout to the pitcher before Mitch Moreland doubled off the bottom of the wall to send him home for a 1-0 lead.
Beltre also doubled to start the second and Moreland allowed him to reach third on a groundout to the first baseman. Following a pitching change, Gentry came to the plate to face David Herndon. Gentry bunted at a pitch that was headed directly for him and thus executed the suicide squeeze to score the insurance run and did not get hit with the pitch.
Neftali Feliz recorded the two-out save, his first since the two blown saves in Chicago earlier this week.
The state of the bullpen doesn’t provide any peace f mind either.
Harrison’s answer was to throw 117 pitches over 8 1/3 innings to outduel former Astros ace Roy Oswalt. After losing two close games to Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday, the karma finally tilted the Rangers’ way. The Phillies hit some smashes right at people, and the Rangers outfielders ran down all the plays. (Nod to Craig Gentry, who will likely return to Triple-A after the anticipated activations of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz for Monday’s game against the White Sox. The sputtering offense will also get a major boost with the return of the two All-Stars.
With the easy offensive firepower missing in action, the Rangers went to baseball fundamentals to score. Michael Young, the only guy in the order hitting consistently, led off the top of the sixth inning with a single. Adrian Beltre advanced him to second with a sacrifice groundout to the pitcher before Mitch Moreland doubled off the bottom of the wall to send him home for a 1-0 lead.
Beltre also doubled to start the second and Moreland allowed him to reach third on a groundout to the first baseman. Following a pitching change, Gentry came to the plate to face David Herndon. Gentry bunted at a pitch that was headed directly for him and thus executed the suicide squeeze to score the insurance run and did not get hit with the pitch.
Neftali Feliz recorded the two-out save, his first since the two blown saves in Chicago earlier this week.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Michael Young & Co Handle Weaver: Rangers 4 Angels 1
The Rangers got to Angels ace Jared Weaver on Friday. And it wasn’t just because of newly-crowded cleanup hitter Michael Young and his .350 batting average.
Young received significant help from the guys ahead of him in the order, Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler. The 2-3-4 spots in the order accounted for six of the seven hits and three of the four RBIs.
Andrus started the offense early with a home run just over the top of the wall on the first pitch he saw as the second hitter in the first inning. It marked Andrus’ second long ball of 2011 after failing to connect on one last season.
The Angels tied the game in the third on an Erick Aybar home run off Alexi Ogando, pretty much the only drawback for him having given up six. Ogando missed his start last Sunday because of ongoing blister issues but showed no residual effects Friday. He struck out five and walked one during the 99-pitch (62-strike) performance over 6 1/3 innings.
Starting in the fourth inning, the Rangers consistently added to the lead, scoring single runs in each of the next three innings. Kinsler, in the three hole since Tuesday as part of Ron Washington’s reconfigured lineup, lead off the frame with a double. Young and his .353 average after two hits Friday, quickly followed with a subsequent double to bring Kinsler home for a 2-1 lead. He really is fun to watch,
Mike Napoli began the fifth with a walk and was advanced to second on a successfully executed hit-and-run by Yorvit Torreabla. Andrus lined the ball to right field and Torreabla scored following one of three Julio Borbon strikeouts on the night. Borbon left the game in the eighth after an apparent hamstring strain during a catch. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow.
Adrian Beltre added a solo homer in the sixth to reach the final margin of victory, 4-1. Beltre has connected in consecutive games since Wednesday rainout was wiped from the books.
No mention of the bullpen is good news.
Young received significant help from the guys ahead of him in the order, Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler. The 2-3-4 spots in the order accounted for six of the seven hits and three of the four RBIs.
Andrus started the offense early with a home run just over the top of the wall on the first pitch he saw as the second hitter in the first inning. It marked Andrus’ second long ball of 2011 after failing to connect on one last season.
The Angels tied the game in the third on an Erick Aybar home run off Alexi Ogando, pretty much the only drawback for him having given up six. Ogando missed his start last Sunday because of ongoing blister issues but showed no residual effects Friday. He struck out five and walked one during the 99-pitch (62-strike) performance over 6 1/3 innings.
Starting in the fourth inning, the Rangers consistently added to the lead, scoring single runs in each of the next three innings. Kinsler, in the three hole since Tuesday as part of Ron Washington’s reconfigured lineup, lead off the frame with a double. Young and his .353 average after two hits Friday, quickly followed with a subsequent double to bring Kinsler home for a 2-1 lead. He really is fun to watch,
Mike Napoli began the fifth with a walk and was advanced to second on a successfully executed hit-and-run by Yorvit Torreabla. Andrus lined the ball to right field and Torreabla scored following one of three Julio Borbon strikeouts on the night. Borbon left the game in the eighth after an apparent hamstring strain during a catch. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow.
Adrian Beltre added a solo homer in the sixth to reach the final margin of victory, 4-1. Beltre has connected in consecutive games since Wednesday rainout was wiped from the books.
No mention of the bullpen is good news.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Mavs Outplay Lakers Late Again: Mavericks 98 Lakers 92
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Rangers Rant
I’m just going to put this out there. The Rangers are finding ways to lose, and it has got to stop.
• If the starting pitching goes well, the bullpen blows it (as did Pedro Strop and Darren Oliver on Tuesday. We successfully came back before Strop put couldn’t exactly get out of a no out jam with runners at the corners.
• If the bullpen is good, the starting pitching positioned us too far behind for it to matter.
• If all the pitching is good, Michael Young is the only offense that shows up. After going 1-for-4 with an RBI on Tuesday, he’s now hitting .339, and that’s a drop of a couple of points.
• The Rangers may need to talk to the Mavericks about how to close out road victories. Neftali Feliz should be off the disabled list and back in the closer’s role Friday.
The Angels are not playing well either. Let’s try again tomorrow.
• If the starting pitching goes well, the bullpen blows it (as did Pedro Strop and Darren Oliver on Tuesday. We successfully came back before Strop put couldn’t exactly get out of a no out jam with runners at the corners.
• If the bullpen is good, the starting pitching positioned us too far behind for it to matter.
• If all the pitching is good, Michael Young is the only offense that shows up. After going 1-for-4 with an RBI on Tuesday, he’s now hitting .339, and that’s a drop of a couple of points.
• The Rangers may need to talk to the Mavericks about how to close out road victories. Neftali Feliz should be off the disabled list and back in the closer’s role Friday.
The Angels are not playing well either. Let’s try again tomorrow.
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