Chicago White Sox 10, Texas Rangers 8

by PegNews wire

The Texas Rangers pitching staff was in fine form Wednesday afternoon, giving up big home runs early and late in a ho-hum 10-8 loss to the White Sox in Chicago. The loss dropped the Rangers to 52-50 on the year.

Texas was leading 8-5 entering the bottom of the fifth, before normally-reliable setup man Eddie Guardado gave up two runs and allowed two other hitters to reach base. Guardado was yanked with two on and two out for unstoppable closer C.J. Wilson. Wilson promptly gave up a three-run home run on the first pitch to Carlos Quentin, who had also hit a home run earlier in the day.

Rangers starter Kevin Millwood put the team in an early hole, giving up a three-run blast in the bottom of the first inning to Jim Thome, before leaving with two outs in the second with another groin pull. Millwood was relieved by Josh Rupe and Warner Madrigal, who allowed the Rangers to claw their way back into the game by pitching four-plus innings, giving up just one hit --Quentin's solo homerun in the fifth-- while walking three and striking out seven.

Several Rangers had decent days at the plate: Michael Young went 2-for-5 with a home run, a stolen base and a pair of RBI, while Ian Kinsler also went 2-for-5 with a double and a stolen base. The team combined to steal four bases in five attempts off Sox catcher Toby Hall, who did manage to catch rookie Chris Davis in a steal.

Davis, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while fellow rookie phenom David Murphy went 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs, a stolen base and an RBI.

Posted by Todd M.