Texas Rangers: Josh Hamilton and Nellie Cruz Back in the Saddle Again

The planets are once again realigned and order has been returned to the fans at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz were back in the lineup Monday night facing the Chicago White Sox, much to the relief of just about everyone in North Texas.

It didn't take long for their presence to be felt. 

In Hamilton's first at-bat since his return from the DL for a fractured arm, the reigning AL MVP pulled an 0-1, two-out pitch from White Sox pitcher John Danks (0-7, 4.32 ERA) over the right field wall for a solo shot to give Texas the early lead.

It was Hamilton's first homer of the season—but it felt like fate.

How's that for a welcome back?!

“First one of the year, yeah!” Hamilton said. “I was already running hard because I didn’t know if it was getting out or not, so I just continued it all the way around the bases. But it was good.”

Not to be outdone, Nelson Cruz would get one as well in the sixth inning.

With Beltre on first base following a walk, Cruz crushed a Danks fastball over the left field wall that landed halfway up and into the outfield seats to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead.

“An exciting moment for us to be back,” Cruz said.

Again, welcome back!

Those three runs were more than enough for Alexi Ogando (5-0, 2.13), who went the distance for a complete game shutout. Ogando has been superb on the mound this season and needed only 105 pitches through nine innings Monday night. 

One could make the argument he was trying to keep the spotlight off Hamilton and Cruz.

"Amazing," catcher Mike Napoli said according to MLB.com. "He just goes right after hitters. He takes his fastball and just pounds it down. He gets after it. He commands down in the zone and away. He tries to make those guys hit his best stuff."

Adrian Beltre would add a sacrifice fly later in the eighth inning. Final score: Texas 4, Chicago 0.

Texas has struggled offensively since Hamilton's injury April 22, going 15-22 in that span. Former Rangers manager, Bobby Valentine, said on ESPN late Monday night that Hamilton is a "special player" and compared him to Superman. He added, with Ham in the lineup, he should help "give Texas their swagger back."

If nothing else, having them both back in the lineup should be a titanic boost to the Ranger's confidence level at the plate. 

Or should we say...fate?

Notes

Cruz was struggling at the plate before being put on the DL; going 2 -23 in his last 25 at bats.

The Rangers optioned first baseman Chris Davis (why, I don't know), pitcher Cody Eppley and catcher Tayloer Teagarden to AAA Round Rock.