That was a helluva game. Yu was ridiculous. That 63mph pitch was nuts (granted it was slightly outside). Michael Young's play in the 9th was pretty sick, too.
Great win for the Rangers. Yu was lights-out good and was pretty well matched by Greinke. Thanks to Beltre for hammering that hanging slider and to Joe Nathan for the save.
It will help to sweep (or at least win two) in Seattle and get some help from the Yankees.
Darvish has been stellar for the past month plus, I have to admit I worried that he was going to be an expensive number four pitcher but he is pitching like an ace and if he can just get the walks under control he will be the ace of this staff for the next couple of years.
No Hamilton two nights in a row and Rangers get two wins. Lets get him back in the lineup and go take the series in Seattle. And yes for one of the very rare few times "Lets go Yankees!".
Calling him "Dutch" is just fine. A good nickname, even. As for the "Oven" part ... well .. that's just a little sick.
Last night's game was a great one that I didn't get to watch. Yu sounds like he was outstanding, and thank goodness Beltre was able to talk himself into the lineup!
oakland ties it at 1 on a solo shot in the 9th. i'm still torn on this series. i'm thinking i'll root for 2/3 for yankees. bottom line if we take care of oakland in arlington, take 3/4... then division is ours. hamilton is out for seattle series, so i'm hoping we can take 2/3 in seattle. always a close series.
if i could look into the future and we swept seattle, i'd actually root for oakland to take 2/3 to seperate us and the yankees for best record.
Yanks win 2-1, but Martin Perez and the Rangers aren't doing so well thus far. Except for one inning in which they scored two runs and could've had more, the Rangers haven't done too much against the Mariners starter. It sure doesn't help that both Hamilton and Beltre are out again. Texas trails Seattle 4-2 in the 5th.
Texas gets within a run at 4-3 before Ogando gives up a 2-run HR in the 8th to a .210 hitter. I'm so tired of teams with such anemic offenses (Seattle has the worst team batting average in the majors--.232) teeing-off on Rangers pitching.
The number five pitching spot has been a penciled in loss for weeks between Feldman and now Perez. Perez has two more starts both against Oakland so hopefully that trend can end soon. Harrison today and Dempster tomorrow give the Rangers a great shot at next two and you have to figure Oakland loses at least one more in NY so magic number could be at 6 by Monday morning.
That #5 spot has been our Achilles Heel. Time for next 4 now. Let's win these next 2 then we'll be no worse than 7 entering the 7 games with the A's - where we gain 2 with each win.
Ogando just cannot pitch in August, September or October. The year he started he was done after the All Star Break, and this year has been a repeat of last year. Probably time to move him.
Quite a pitching duel. Too bad the Rangers have forgotten how to get timely hits.
So, they have now lost a series to a offensively-anemic team, are 2-3 on the road trip that started so promising, and, in the process, have failed to create some distance between them and the A's (who are 1-4 on their road trip). So frustrating. Hope this doesn't come back to bite 'em in the butt.
Tough to waste a great outing by Harrison like that. Turned a day on the calendar with no change in lead which is never a bad thing but like the Cleveland game a weeks ago where they blew a 2 run lead in the ninth this is a shot to the gut loss. Rangers need to bounce back today and get to 3-3 for the road trip which was what I felt they had to do anyway and that is still achievable.
and in other news, the Rangers could potentially eliminate both the Angels and the As from playoff contention. The Tigers/White Sox could be the beneficiary of this. The Tigers specifically have a remarkably easy last 10 days. The Tigers should be favored to win almost all of their remaining games.
The other team I was considering was the Rays, but the Rays have a pretty tough schedule, finishing with Baltimore.
I actually like this idea of both the As and the Angels sitting at home during the playoffs, especially the Angels, but I think it would be great if both stayed home.
Of course it doesn't really matter who the Rangers play, the big factor now is who will be healthy enough to contribute at his normal 100%?
Hard to believe R's couldn't score yesterday and especailly wasting Harrison's complete game. Lucily our 2 catchers have finally given us some runs. Let's get this thing to 7 going home to play the A's.
Dempster gets the win and goes to 7-2, huge pick up by Daniels. Rangers get to 90 wins and move the magic number to 7 with just 10 to play. They have a real chance to win the west at home on the upcoming homestand. Nice to have 7 of last 10 at home.
Rangers need to go 5-2 over next 7 at home before they end year in Oakland to not be sweating that last road trip. Wouls love to wrap this up before getting on that last plane.