Texas Rangers 7, Toronto Blue Jays 5 (14 Innings)

by PegNews wire

Texas snaps its five-game losing streak with an impressive extra innings victory.

The Texas Rangers snapped their ignominious five-game losing streak with a solid road win Wednesday night, defeating the Blue Jays 7-5 in Toronto. The win improved the Rangers to 6-9 on the year.

The win was an impressive showing by the Texas bullpen, which spotted starter Kason Gabbard after the sixth and allowed just three runs over the next eight innings. Gabbard pitched six innings, giving up just a pair of runs off seven hits and lowering his ERA to 2.41.

Things were going fine until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Rangers reliever Joaquín Benoit gave up three runs, two of which were earned, and allowed the Blue Jays back into what was shaping up to be an easy Rangers win. Wes Littleton relieved Benoit admirably, however, giving up just a pair of harmless hits over the next two and two-thirds innings. The game went into deep extra innings before beleaguered pitcher Dustin Nippert --he of the 14.54 ERA-- pitched a scoreless 13th for the win, and C.J. Wilson pitched a perfect 14th for his fourth save.

In the top of the 14th, Texas finally broke through thanks to a tired play by surprise reliever A.J. Burnett. A wild pitch allowed Frank Catalanatto to score, just before Josh Hamilton knocked in Michael Young with a double to put the game out of easy reach. Hamilton finished 4-for-7 with a pair of RBI.

Catalanatto hit 3-for-7 with three runs and a home run, while Michael Young went 2-for-8 with that crucial late-game run scored. Milton Bradley hit safely once again, going 2-for-3 with a run and five walks.

Posted by Todd M.