Cruz hits game-winner
There were plenty of fond memories from Monday’s home opener, but in the end, it was a day to forget for the Indians and the sellout crowd at Progressive Field.
Fausto Carmona offered up another positive performance, and rising star Shin-Soo Choo enjoyed a highlight-filled game, but Cleveland still lost, drop-ping a 4-2 decision to the Rangers in front of 42,061 fans.
Nelson Cruz’s two-run home run off reliever Jamey Wright with one out in the 10th inning broke a 2-all tie and sent the Indians to their fourth straight defeat.
It was the second straight day that Cleveland’s bull-pen, a suspect group even before losing closer Kerry Wood to injury, had a hand in torching a potential vic-tory.
“It’s nothing to be happy about, but we’re not the only team that’s had struggles at the back end (of the bullpen),” said Indians manager Manny Acta. “It’s going to get better as the season goes on.”
Cleveland’s bullpen actually staved off the defeat for an inning after Wood’s replacement, right-hander Chris Perez, struggled again in the ninth inning.
Click here to read the full article – By Chris Assenheimer of http://medinagazette.northcoastnow.com
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Righty takes last 40-man roster spot
The Texas Rangers acquired right-handed pitcher Edwar Ramirez on Tuesday from the New York Yankees for cash considerations. Ramirez, who turns 29 later this month, was designated for assignment by the Yankees on Feb. 28. He takes up the Rangers’ final spot on the 40-man roster.
Ramirez had a 5.73 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 22 innings of work (20 relief appearances) with New York in 2009. He had two stints with the Yankees last season, pitching the rest of the time at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre, where he went 1-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 29 games.
Ramirez was a regular in the Yankees’ bullpen in 2008 with a 5-1 record and a 3.55 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. Opposing batters hit .215 against him.
Click here to read the full article – By Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com
A good season can tame Texas Rangers’ ballpark beast
In response to the question of how do you kill a vampire, one online advice column suggests pointing a cross soaked with holy water at the beast, driving a stake through its heart, cutting off its head and stuffing it with garlic
Reliable sources say that at no time during the Rangers’ 81 home games this season did they see Ron Washington walking around the ballpark with a wooden cross, holy water, a stake, a knife or garlic.
Despite that, for the first time in several years, the season will end with the ballpark not being accused of sucking the life out of Rangers teams.
The Rangers had an absolutely wonderful run, and it will end Sunday in Seattle. There have been challenges caused by injuries that forced Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler to miss more than 100 games total, yet Texas was in the playoff race until the last week of the season.
It was a tribute to the team, but it also was refreshing to not hear any excuses — about injuries or the ballpark.
If someone called the park a launching pad, it was in passing. The nasty wind currents that made home runs cheap miraculously disappeared or were ignored. No one campaigned for jack-hammering the Cuervo Club, which supposedly boomeranged winds behind home plate toward the outfield, carrying balls over the fence.
(A quick aside: With the Rangers financial problems, perhaps critics now understand that adding revenue sources such as the club are vital to the economic health of a sports franchise.)
This season was the first in many years that did not include multiple obscenities tossed at the ballpark
Click here to read the full article – By JAN HUBBARD of Star-Telegram.com
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Holland ready to wrap up rookie year
ANAHEIM — Derek Holland’s rookie season is about to come to an end
Holland makes his final start on Wednesday night against the Angels. He brings a 6.14 ERA into the game and since 1972, when the Rangers first played in Texas, that’s the 11th-highest ERA for a Major League rookie with at least 100 innings pitched.
But the Rangers still think Holland got much out of his first season in the Major Leagues even though he made just five starts combined at Double- and Triple-A before getting up here.
“Well, for starters, one of the best things is he knows he can pitch here,” pitching coach Mike Maddux said. “That’s something everybody has to overcome and realize, ‘Yes, I can pitch in the big leagues.’ He showed that.
“He’s definitely become a four-pitch pitcher, willing to throw any pitch in any count. There has been a fusion that comes from trial and error on how to use all his pitches over the course of the year.”
Holland won his most recent start, beating Tampa Bay, 8-3, on Friday. But he allowed three runs in five innings and is now 1-5 with an 11.17 ERA in his past six games.
“I just want to finish strong and on a good note,” Holland said, “stay positive and give it everything I have.”
Click here to read the full article – By T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com
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Blalock plates four as Texas gains ground
Five days ago, Rangers manager Ron Washington decided to put Hank Blalock back in the lineup.
Blalock, reduced to a reserve role since Chris Davis was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Aug. 25, was asked to breathe some life into the Rangers’ slumbering offense with Josh Hamilton and Michael Young still unable to play.
Blalock has done that.
He had two doubles, a home run, two runs scored and four RBIs to lead the Rangers to a 9-8 victory over the Athletics at the Coliseum on Wednesday. The win, combined with the Angels’ loss to the Yankees, moved Texas to within 6 1/2 games of first place in the American League West.
Click here to read the full article – By T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com
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Hamilton gearing up for return
Josh Hamilton could find out on Tuesday how soon he will be ready to return to the Rangers lineup. It could be a big day for him.
Hamilton, who has been sidelined since Sept. 2 with a pinched nerve in his lower back, resumed workouts on Monday after backing off for four days. He took some swings off a tee and off soft-toss pitching in the batting cage, and did some running in the outfield.
All went well. He will try to increase his baseball activities on Tuesday to include on-field batting practice against live pitching.
Click here to read the full article – By T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com
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Saltalamacchia to have surgery, Hamilton out longer
Rangers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s season will end on Monday when he undergoes surgery on his right shoulder. Saltalamacchia has Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a condition where a rib bone pushes on a nerve and causes pain and numbness in the arm and fingers.
Saltalamacchia has played in just one game since Aug. 14 and that was as a designated hitter on Sept. 5 in Baltimore. He was trying to hang on as a pinch-hitter and DH but decided to get the surgery done and get ready for next season.
The surgery usually requires 10-12 weeks of recovery time. Saltalamacchia is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
Click here to read the full article – By T.R. Sullivan of MLBlogs.com
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Feldman’s 12th road win finishes sweep
Scott Feldman has not only become the king of the road but also the king of the Rangers’ rotation. He may not have the resume or the pedigree of a No. 1 starter, but he is pitching like one as Texas goes into the most critical stretch of the season.
Feldman not only broke two club records for winning on the road, but he also won his seventh consecutive decision overall as he pitched the Rangers to a 10-0 victory over the Indians at Progressive Field on Wednesday.
The victory kept Texas within 2 games of Boston in the American League Wild Card race. The Red Sox beat the Orioles, 7-5, Wednesday night. Feldman, 16-4 with a 3.46 ERA on the season, hasn’t lost since July 30 against the Tigers, and that was at Rangers Ballpark. He hasn’t lost on the road since June 19 in San Francisco, as he has now won eight in a row and 12 overall on the road on this season. Both are new club records.
Click here to read the full article – By T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com
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Young strains hamstring, exits Game 2
Rangers third baseman Michael Young could be sidelined for an extended period of time after suffering a strained left hamstring in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Blue Jays.
Young will have an MRI on the injury on Wednesday, but it could keep him sidelined for 1-2 weeks or more.
“I’ve never had a hamstring issue before in my life, so it’s a little bit of a shock,” Young said. “At this point of the season, missing one pitch kills me. It’s pretty tough, but I’m not going to pout about it. It happens. I’m going to try and get back as quickly as possible.”
Rangers manager Ron Washington, who first described it as a “pulled” muscle, admitted it was not a good situation.
Click here to read the full article – By T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com
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