Friday, July 11, 2008

LA Angels 11, Texas Rangers 10 (11 innings)

By Pegasus News wire

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers battled back from a huge early deficit Thursday night, but ultimately came up short in a 11-10 extra-innings loss to the LA Angels at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The loss drops the Rangers to 48-45, 7 1/2 games behind the division-leading Angels.

Photo not provided by the Texas Rangers

The Rangers had no shortage of hit singles Thursday night

With a makeshift rotation of rookie call-ups and former outfielders, the Texas starting pitching is usually a ticking time bomb, and Thursday's game exploded in their face. Rangers starter Scott Feldman did not last through the fourth inning, giving up eight runs on six hits. Feldman, who had seemed to improve in his previous two starts --both wins-- walked five and struck out two.

Feldman was relieved by Wes Littleton, who promptly gave up two more runs to put the Rangers in a 10-4 hole heading into the bottom of the fifth. However, the bullpen was able to hold the Angels at ten runs form that point on, until the top of the 11th when pinch hitter Maicer Izturis drove in Garret Anderson with an RBI single for the game-winning run. Frank Rodriguez closed out the bottom of the inning for his 36th save of the year.

Several Rangers had huge offensive days, as manager Ron Washington's decision to put highly productive third baseman Ramón Vázquez paid immediate dividends. Vázquez went 3-for-7 with a double, two runs and an RBI, and led the way for regular #2 hitter Michael Young to have a 4-for-7 performance. Young scored once and drove in two RBI on the night.

In all, the Rangers poured the hits on the Angels all night, amassing 20 total hits and adding five walks for good measure. Josh Hamilton had a two-run home run in the bottom of the third, as well as swiping his fifth stolen base of the season. Rookie first baseman Chris Davis went 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored, while fellow rookie Max Ramirez hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at 10-10.

Leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler seemed a little iffy at the plate but still managed to extend his career-best hitting streak to 22 games with a single. Kinsler went 1-for-5 with a pair of walks, and is now hitting .333, still good enough to lead the American League in hitting.

Posted by Todd M.

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