Holland throws third career complete game shut out

Derek Holland may have been pitching for his life as a starter tonight.  After lasting just two-thirds of an inning last Saturday against the Marlins, Dutch bounced back tonight with a complete game, four-hit shutout.  He needed it.  So did the Rangers.

Holland started the game right -- a quick strikeout of the first batter.  I got a little restless when he walked the next batter, Coco Crisp (who has some speed).  But he reassured me by striking out the next two.  I was fairly certain Dutch would be OK after that.  And he was.  Outside of a bases-loaded 9th, Derek handled the A's offense (however horrible they may be) with ease, striking out seven and walking two.

The bats helped Derek out a little, scoring six times on 10 runs.  Thank you, Rich Harden, for continuing to be horrible.  The Rangers chased him from the game after just five innings. Michael Young hit his eighth homer of the season, and somehow Josh Hamilton had four RBI but only one single.  Ha ha.  A few sac flies padded his total.  Good times.  I'll take it.

A light crowd saw this game.  Possibly because it's a makeup game (and there are still some angry the last one got called).  Or maybe because it was 100 degrees at first pitch.  I sure don't miss that Texas heat.

 

KISS: Dutch.  I know it was the A's, but a win is a win.  Hopefully, he's figured things out and gotten his confidence back.   He's pretty tough when he's on.

MISS: Meh.  Not giving one.

 

FINAL SCORE

A's :: 0 R, 4 H, 6 TLOB

Rangers :: 6 R, 10 H, 7 TLOB

 

Friday's match-up

vs. OAK, 7:05 p.m. CST

C.J. Wilson (8-3, 3.02 ERA) vs. Gio Gonzalez (8-5, 2.31 ERA)

 

Scary moment ... deja vu?

One year and one day after a fan fell from the second deck at Rangers Ballpark, another fan had a scary fall tonight.  Apparently, he was trying to get a ball Josh Hamilton had tossed to him, and he fell about 15 feet from the stands to the space behind the out of town scoreboard.  The post-game report is that the fan has passed away.  Please, friends.  Be careful at the ballpark.  A baseball is not worth that!