Sunday, July 6, 2008

Texas Rangers 5, Baltimore Orioles 3

By Pegasus News wire

The Texas Rangers lived dangerously Saturday night, but ultimately came out ahead in a 5-3 victory over the Orioles in Baltimore. The win improves the Rangers to 45-43 on the season.

Photo not provided by the Texas Rangers

Quoth Ian Kinsler, 'Nevermore'

Things looked bad in the bottom of the first, when rookie starter Scott Feldman blew a 1-0 lead by giving up three runs on three hits. The Rangers had recently been victimized by giving up big innings early, but Feldman quickly settled down and gave up just two harmless singles over the next five innings.

Feldman finished with his second win in six days, pitching six innings and giving up just the three runs, before the Texas bullpen took over and closed the game out. Relievers Frank Francisco and Eddie Guardado combined for a scoreless seventh and eighth innings, and closer C.J. Wilson struck out the side in the ninth for his twentieth save of the season.

The Rangers were led on offense by Ian Kinsler, extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a 2-for-3 performance. More importantly, Kinsler hit a two-run, two-out shot in the top of the sixth to put the Rangers ahead 4-3. Kinsler, who is hitting well above .400 during the streak, now leads the American League in batting with a .328 average.

Fellow batting title contender Milton Bradley had a quiet day at the plate, going 1-for-5, and is now hitting a paltry .320. Josh Hamilton increased his major league-leading RBI totals with an RBI single in the top of the second. Hamilton now has 83 RBI, nearly twenty more than any other hitter in the AL.

Michael Young also had a good day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with an RBI, while little-used third baseman German Duran went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a pair of runs scored.

Posted by Todd M.

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