Texas Rangers' Week 19 Review: Taking Control of Wild Card

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

This week for the Rangers started off with a much needed day off from playing.  Though the Rangers struggled in Oakland, last week, they kept themselves in the hunt for both the AL West title and the Wild Card spot by winning the series in Anaheim.

This week the Rangers finished their longest road trip of the year with three games in Cleveland and then came home for another battle hosting the Red Sox.

Texas would loss both first games of each series, Texas would go on to win both series going 4-2 on the week and surpass the Red Sox for the lead in the Wild Card spot.

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: L, 0-5 (62-49)

This game was all about the bottom of the third inning.  In that half inning the Indians scored all five runs of this game.  The Tribe scored four runs before Ranger starter Dustin Nippert could even record an out.  The inning was highlighted by Indian second baseman Luis Valbuena’s two-RBI double.

Nippert joining the rotation with the departure of Vicente Padilla pitched well outside the third inning.  He would pitch six innings, allowing the five runs on six hits and strike out 10.  He became the first Ranger to pitch less that seven innings, strike out 10 or more, and lose since Nolan Ryan.

Wednesday: W, 5-0 (63-49)

As rough as the first game of this series went this one went that well.  Tommy Hunter took the mound for Texas and continued his “Rookie of the Year”-caliber season.  He shutout the Tribe for 7.2 innings, allowing only six hits and no walks while striking out five.

Hunter would also get the necessary run support in this game as Texas scored twice in the third and three more times in the eighth.

The offense was highlighted by Josh Hamilton who seems to be re-discovering his stroke at the plate, he recorded three hits including two doubles, and two RBI. 

Thursday: W, 4-1 (64-49)

Continuing his hot bat from the day before Hamilton went 4-4 in the rubber match in Cleveland.  He added two more doubles, two more RBI, and two more two-out RBI.  In his last two games in Cleveland Hamilton has seven hits in eight at-bats, four doubles, two runs scored, and four RBI (all RBI came with two outs).

The Ranger offense also got multi-hit games from Michael Young, Marlon Byrd, and Hank Blalock to lead a 12-hit, four-run win and series win.

Scott Feldman was on the mound going six innings, allowing one run on seven hits and striking out six.  Neftali Feliz came in relief and pitched perfect seventh and eighth innings, striking out the first five batters he faced before a groundout to short to end the eighth.

Friday: L, 4-8 (64-50)

This game was really a tale of two games. 

The Rangers started the first game off with a two-run homer from Young in the first inning.  Nothing else happened until David Ortiz hit a two-run shot in the top of the sixth inning.

Texas took the lead back with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and this game ended after eight innings with the Rangers leading 4-2.

The second then started and it lasted only one inning, unfortunately for the Rangers it was the one that counted.

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