Texas Rangers 2, Toronto Blue Jays 1

Rangers get one back in impressive pitching duel.

The Texas Rangers won a tightly-contested pitching duel Saturday in Toronto, defeating the Blue Jays 2-1. The win improved Texas to 69-50, five and a half games ahead of the Oakland A's for first place in the AL West. Toronto fell to 56-64.

Photo not provided by Canada

It's good to see we can finally beat Canada at something important.

Rangers starter Roy Oswalt, taking Ryan Dempster's place in the rotation as Dempster works out some personal issues, was solid, allowing just one run on two hits over four-plus innings. Oswalt, who walked two an struck out five while balking twice, had not started a game since late July.

The Texas bullpen held the game close, with five different relievers combining to throw four-plus innings of shutout relief. Robbie Ross got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, while Michael Kirkman got the team out of another bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh to earn his first win of the season.

Blue Jays starter Carlos Villanueva was excellent, giving up two runs over six-plus innings, but falling to 6-3 on the year with a 3.10 ERA.

Toronto opened the scoring in the bottom of the third when Anthony Gose walked, stole second, advanced to third on a balk and then scored on Adeiny Hechavarria's RBI single.

Texas would respond in the top of the fifth, however, when Adrian Beltre's flyout to center was misplayed for a ground-rule double. Nelson Cruz then took Villanueva's next pitch to deep left field for his 19th home run of the season and the game.