Even though he’s at the back end of the rotation, Alexi Ogando is quickly becoming the Rangers pitching star. The guy is now 6-0 this season and sports an ERA of 2.20.
Despite the final score, through six innings, it was a 2-1 game, and Ogando was up to the task. He threw 68 of his 100 pitches for strikes over eight innings, striking out six and walking one. The Indians only run off Ogando came in the sixth when S. Choo grounded into a double play following consecutive singles to start the inning.
Ogando looked and acted as if he was headed for a 2-1 victory, but the Rangers exploded in the back third of the ballgame, scoring seven runs on a trio of Cleveland relievers, which have been strength for the 33-22 surprise leaders of the American League Central. With runners at first and third in the seventh, the Indians brought on Tony Sipp for the duty of retiring Josh Hamilton. The opposite happened: Hamilton hit an 0-2 “laser” homerun over the yellow line for a three-run homer and a 5-1 advantage. Nelson Cruz followed his lead, connecting on a two-run shot with Adrian Beltre on second.
With the hot-hitting Mike Napoli and Endy Chavez at the bottom of the order, the Rangers quickly went to work in the eighth on extending their lead. Napoli doubled, Chavez singled (4-4 yesterday, 3-5 tonight) and Ian Kinsler walked. Chad Durbin had to face Elvis Andrus with the bases loaded. The result was a bases-clearing double that hugged the right field line and cleared the bases for a 10-1 lead. For the night, Andrus was 4-for-4 with three singles, a double and a stolen base. Two more singles from the bottom of the order and a wild pitch equaled an 11th run.
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