Ranger lose Seattle series, hold 2nd place at break
Today's game was not a fun one for Rangers' fans to watch. I missed Saturday night's game, so I missed another offensively flat outing, but today honestly wasn't that much better.
Texas' only three runs came in the 6th inning on a pair of home runs. Hank Blalock hit a one-out homer to right with Andruw Jones standing on 1st after a walk. After Marlon Byrd struck out, Seattle switched pitchers, and Nelson Cruz greeted the new arm with a solo shot to deep right. With this rally, my boys had erased a 3-0 defecit and looked to be surging toward a win.
Unfortunately, only one Ranger reached base over the next three innings while the Mariners' had their own two-run surge. A two-out walk by David Murphy in the 9th renewed a glimmer of my hopes, but then Elvis Andrus committed the biggest sin in baseball --he struckout looking to end the game.
Josh Lewin and Tom Grieve are my favorite announcers, but I have to disagree with Tom's commentary on Dustin Nippert's outing. Tom said Nippert's line "won't look good," but "he actually pitched well." Um. Not really, Tom. Sure, he had back-to-back 1-2-3 innings and struck out four, but the 1st and 4th innings were hideous.
The bullpen was only slightly better. Derek Holland entered the game in the 4th inning with the bases juiced and Ichiro up to bat. Holland got the speedy Mariner to hit a grounder back to him, but Ichiro beat the throw to first, and a run scored. Holland walked the next batter, giving the Mariners a 3-0 lead. Holland lasted two innings, walking just one and allowing just the two inherited runs (charged to Nippert). Darren O'Day took over after Holland got the first out of the 7th inning. O'Day quickly logged the next out but then gave up a single to Ken Griffey Jr. and then another to Franklin Gutierrez. With two on and two out, Ron Washington brought C.J. Wilson in to face Chris Shelton. Shelton promptly drove in a run on a single. Rob Johnson decided to do the same. The score was 5-3, and the Rangers just never recovered.
KISS: Hank Blalock, who was 2 for 4 with two RBI.
MISS: Nippert.
Tomorrow -- Nelson Cruz will represent Texas and the American League in the Home Run Derby. Cruz replaces Torii Hunter (injured) on the All-Star Game roster. Ian Kinsler was robbed of joining him. Dustin Pedroia has opted to skip the mid-summer classic to be with his wife during a difficult pregnancy. Pedroia was voted in by the fans, yet it was the manager, Joe Maddon, who got to pick the replacement. He chose to add Carlos Pena. I guess you can't have too many (four) 1Bs in the All-Star Game, but you only need two 2Bs.
I will miss the Home Run Derby (for work) and probably quite a bit of the All-Star Game. I've been tempted not to watch the game at all because I'm so irked by all the AL East bias. I've calmed down about my boys being snubbed, mostly because I think they could all use a bit of a break. They now have four days at home before the Minnesota Twins land in Arlington.





































































