Tigers surge late to beat Rangers
ARLINGTON -- Nobody has won more games at Rangers Ballpark than ex-Ranger Kenny Rogers. He feels a lot better doing it as a visitor.
Games like Monday night's 8-7 Tigers win are a pretty good example why.
"Every game I pitched in this park, I would expect to give up three or four runs, even if you pitched well," Rogers said. "Because it's that explosive of a ballpark for offense. You're going to give up some runs. You're not going to shut many guys out here. I know that going in.
"It's just a park where you never know what's going to happen. Pitching here for a full season is extremely difficult, mentally, if not more physically."
The physical challenge was evident in the extreme humidity that had Rogers changing shirts every inning. The mental challenge was also evident in a game whose twists might've fit the rides down the street at Six Flags.
Rangers starter Scott Feldman gave up a 10-run first inning in his last start six days earlier at Boston. On Monday, he carried a two-hit shutout and a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning. Three batters later, he was out, and the Tigers had the tying run in scoring position.
Gary Sheffield's 493rd home run started the rally that eventually had the Tigers carrying an 8-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning. By the time Fernando Rodney struck out American League MVP favorite Josh Hamilton to end the inning, the Rangers had the potential tying run on second.
"I think there were two good things about tonight: The fact that we came back after being down, and it looked like we could've given it up," manager Jim Leyland said. "We could've come in a real sad bunch tonight, but we didn't. We came in the right way."
Considering the conditions, they weren't sure they were going to get a chance to go out and play in the first place. Rain came down virtually all afternoon until letting up soon before game time, leaving a draining, humid night in its wake. With the Tigers having come off a long Sunday afternoon loss at home, they went through the first six innings looking like they had the "blahs," as Leyland likes to call them.
Sheffield's second-inning soft line drive and a Brandon Inge ground ball accounted for Detroit's hits through six, both of them singles. Meanwhile, Rogers was simply trying to keep the game close, while RBI doubles from Gerald Laird in the fourth and Michael Young in the fifth began building out the lead.
"It doesn't matter if you're a finesse guy or a power guy," Rogers (9-10) said. "The difficulty to pitch deep into ballgames and give your team a chance [here], it's harder."
The humidity drained Rogers physically, but also helped keep the ball from flying as much as it can in this park. That, and a sharp sinker, worked in Rogers' favor while he racked up seven strikeouts over six innings.
Still, he was trailing when he delivered his final pitch. Carlos Guillen's infield single leading off the seventh didn't do much to change the flow. The 2-2 sinker that Sheffield drove down the left-field line and inside the foul pole for his 13th home run of the year did.
"He's a big guy -- he hides the ball well," Sheffield said of Feldman. "It looks like a pitch right down the middle until you swing at it, and it's in on your hands a little bit. Basically, I just made an adjustment."
The game took a dramatic turn from there. Once Matt Joyce followed with a double into the right-field corner, Feldman was out. Frank Francisco entered to strike out Edgar Renteria and nearly did the same to Brandon Inge. Left with a full count, Francisco (2-5) went at him with an offspeed pitch, which Inge lined to left for the game-tying single. Another full count to Granderson ended with a fastball lined into the gap in right-center field and the Tigers suddenly in front.
With the bases loaded an inning later, Granderson found the opposite gap for another triple to clear the bases and build an 8-3 lead. A Texas-sized rally off Kyle Farnsworth in the bottom of the inning essentially nullified that rally.
One night earlier, Rays manager Joe Maddon made headlines with his decision to intentionally walk Hamilton with the bases loaded and a four-run lead. With Detroit's lead down to one and Milton Bradley waiting on deck, the Tigers never considered that option. But it was drastic enough to go to Rodney in the eighth, hoping his change of speeds could fool one of baseball's most dangerous hitters.
It worked. After Hamilton fouled off back-to-back two-strike fastballs at 97 mph and watched a changeup in the dirt, he went down swinging at another offspeed pitch. It was just Hamilton's 11th strikeout with two outs and a runner in scoring position this season, a situation in which he was hitting .375 entering the night.
"[I] tried to make a good pitch to him and not leave anything hanging," Rodney said. "I know this is a good hitter. That's what I worked on tonight."
A hit-by-pitch to Byrd and a wild pitch moving him into scoring position created a little more drama in the ninth, but Rodney set down Gerald Laird swinging out of the zone at a four-seam fastball before Chris Davis flew out to finally end this wild affair.
The Tigers shook off their blahs, and Rogers shook off his personal four-game losing streak. In the process, he stretched his career wins lead here to 17 over Rick Helling. He could get another shot here when the Tigers visit in September.
Still, he'll be glad to make his next start in Kansas City.
"When you're pitching here, you just want to hang around long enough to where your offense can get going," Rogers said.
Copyright 2001-2008 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Matsui exits game with sore back
HOUSTON -- Second baseman Kazuo Matsui left after the second inning of Tuesday's game against the Giants with a sore back.
"Kaz's back tightened up a little bit on him," said Astros manager Cecil Cooper. "He'll be day-to-day, probably."
Matsui had told Cooper his back was a bit stiff before the game but said he was OK to play, but the tightness got worse during the first inning.
Mark Loretta replaced Matsui at second, batting leadoff.
Matsui was previously on the 15-day disabled list for a strained right hamstring in late June and also missed time earlier this season with anal fissures.
Copyright 2008 Sporting Life UK Ltd, All Rights Reserved.
Matsui exits game with sore back
HOUSTON -- Second baseman Kazuo Matsui left after the second inning of Tuesday's game against the Giants with a sore back.
"Kaz's back tightened up a little bit on him," said Astros manager Cecil Cooper. "He'll be day-to-day, probably."
Matsui had told Cooper his back was a bit stiff before the game but said he was OK to play, but the tightness got worse during the first inning.
Mark Loretta replaced Matsui at second, batting leadoff.
Matsui was previously on the 15-day disabled list for a strained right hamstring in late June and also missed time earlier this season with anal fissures.
Copyright 2008 Sporting Life UK Ltd, All Rights Reserved.
Beckett, offense click like old days
KANSAS CITY -- The only clicking that could be seen or heard around the Red Sox on Tuesday night was the offense, which pounded the baseball throughout most of this 8-2 triumph over the Royals.
Earlier in the day, "clicking" was being used in an entirely different context, as slugger David Ortiz said that was what he felt in his recovering left wrist in the ninth inning of Monday night's loss.
But by several hours before gametime, Ortiz pronounced himself as "fine." He was fine enough to deliver Boston's first run of the night -- an RBI single in the first.
"This stuff is tricky," said Ortiz after the game. "Today I felt fine. I was swinging. Don't listen to me."
From there, the Boston bats clicked away, bashing hits all over the park. It was a game-plan right out of 2007. With ace Josh Beckett on the mound, the Red Sox pounded the baseball.
And as the offense kept supplying run support, Beckett (6 2/3 innings, four hits, two runs, seven strikeouts) put up a steady succession of quality innings.
Though it is true Beckett (10-8, 4.08 ERA) entered the night with 5.5 runs per game of support -- just shy of Jon Lester's 5.6 for the team lead -- the stat was a tad misleading.
In Beckett's eight losses, the Red Sox scored a total of 10 runs while he was in the game.
"Last year was one of those years where everything goes right," Beckett said. "Hopefully we can keep that up."
This was one of those nights where nearly everyone was in the groove. Jason Bay led the 13-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with two runs, two doubles and two RBIs. The new left fielder is 9-for-21 since coming to Boston in the blockbuster deal for Manny Ramirez.
"He's a good hitter, bro," Ortiz said of Bay. "He's a good hitter. We needed that."
The hits were still coming for the Red Sox after the game, as Ortiz nailed Bay with a pie to the face after his postgame interview with NESN.
Bay is displaying the comfort of someone who has been with the Red Sox for a few years instead of a few days.
"It felt pretty good to go out and get a win and personally have some success tonight," said Bay. "I'm hoping that I can keep riding this wave and we can keep winning."
The Red Sox, who had lost five of six games before the trade, are 4-1 in the first five games with Bay.
With the Rays picking up a win over the Indians, the Red Sox remained three games back in the American League East.
After chipping away with one-run rallies in the first, fourth and fifth, the Red Sox produced two more in the sixth and three in the seventh to take a commanding 8-1 lead.
The most bizarre run of the night came in that game-breaking seventh, when Bay clocked a fly ball to deep left-center. Center fielder Mitch Maier raced back and got a glove on the ball right in front of the wall. But he knocked it literally on top of the wall. As the ball rolled on the wall, left fielder Ross Gload gently knocked it back in to play. If it rolled just inches backward on to the grass behind the wall, it would have been a home run.
It was reminiscent of the triple that Kevin Youkilis hit against the Yankees on July 4, a ball that rested on the wall before bouncing back into play.
"That was a pretty unique play," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "We've been a part of some weird plays out on the fence this year. The ball hadn't carried as well here as it normally does, especially to left field. He really tattooed the ball and it stayed in. Gload made a phenomenal play just pulling that ball back in and just keeping it from being a homer, because I think it was going to roll the other side."
Jed Lowrie followed with a two-run triple, allowing Beckett to finish his night in stress-free fashion, as he so often did a year ago.
With Julio Lugo out until perhaps September with a severe strain of his left quadriceps, Lowrie has fit in every bit as seamlessly as Bay.
"Boy, he's taking some nice swings," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "He made a nice play in the hole. He swings at strikes. He's been good."
Trying to find the right combination in his lineup, Francona had J.D. Drew in the leadoff spot and Youkilis hitting cleanup. Mike Lowell and Bay both moved down a notch, to fifth and sixth, respectively.
Jacoby Ellsbury had a nice night at the bottom of the order, producing two hits and stealing his first two bases since July 1.
But as important as all the offense was, there are few things more vital to the Red Sox than a fully-functioning Beckett.
"He's had a lot of starts where we haven't scored him a whole lot of runs," said Varitek. "This was the first time we scored him some runs in a while. He's the hugest part of our starting staff."
Is that because the Red Sox need Beckett to be their No. 1 pitcher?
"He is our No. 1," said Varitek. "He is. People follow his lead quite a bit. That's happened quite a bit in the past and it will continue to happen."
Beckett came out after 90 pitches and the Royals threatening in the seventh. But rest assured, the hot and humid Kansas City weather did not faze the Texan.
"None," said Beckett. "I think growing up in Texas, playing games in 100-degree weather [helped]. I think one time we started a game in Brownsville and it was 117 degrees. We played a doubleheader that day. It didn't really affect me."
"He did a great job," Bay said of Beckett. "He's one of the best guys in the league. He's fun to play behind. Ever since I got here, we haven't given up more than four runs. It's fun to play behind starting pitching like that gives you a chance to win every night."
Copyright 2001-2008 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Young a pinch-hit hero vs. Seattle
ARLINGTON -- Second baseman Ian Kinsler had a term for it.
"Huge street credit," Kinsler said in the Rangers' locker room after a 4-3 victory over the Mariners on Wednesday night.
Street credit. And that means...
"It's a huge heart," Kinsler said, and that would certainly describe Rangers shortstop Michael Young.
Young didn't start Wednesday night because of some pain and stiffness in the ring finger on his right hand. The pain is caused by a small fracture, an injury that happened Monday night and was supposed to keep Young out 5-7 days. It has hardly kept him out at all.
Young didn't start, but he was, as Rangers manager Ron Washington said before the game, "available as a pinch-hitter."
Young proved to be a nice weapon to have off the bench when Mariners left-hander Arthur Rhodes was having trouble finding the strike zone -- or at least agreeing with home-plate umpire Paul Nauert on where it was -- in the eighth inning.
After Rhodes walked three straight hitters, Young stepped to the plate with one out in a 3-3 game and delivered a sacrifice fly that brought home the go-ahead run in the Rangers' victory over the Mariners at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The fly ball was reminiscent of the one that Young hit in the 15th inning to win the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium earlier this month.
"I was pretty fired up for that at-bat," Young said. "I can't remember the last time I pinch-hit, and I had to calm myself down and take some deep breaths."
For the record, it was also just his seventh pinch-hitting appearance in his career, and his first since Aug. 2, 2002 against the Red Sox. Young was 2-for-6 in his previous pinch-hitting duties, but this was his first RBI.
"The guy has a broken finger, and the night he broke it, I'm watching on television and it's saying he'll be out one to two weeks," Kinsler said. "The next day, he's in the lineup. Today, he came in sore, but he told [Washington] he would be ready if he needed him. I've never seen him so fired up for one at-bat."
Young actually spent the first half of the game in the training room getting treatment, and didn't even get into his uniform until he saw the game was tied in the sixth inning.
"That's the best guy to have in that situation," infielder Chris Davis said. "When he was at the plate, I knew I was a lot more relaxed in the on-deck circle, because I know he's Mr. Clutch."
Rhodes started the inning by getting Frank Catalanotto on a line drive to short, but then walked David Murphy, Josh Hamilton and Marlon Byrd to load the bases. By the time Young stepped to the plate, Rhodes was fuming on the mound and Mariners manager Jim Riggleman had to settle him down.
After Young drove a fly ball into center field and Murphy beat Jeremy Reed's throw to the plate, Rhodes went to back up home plate, said something to Nauert and was tossed from the game.
"I am not going to comment, but you have to make those calls out there," Rhodes said. "I am out there making good pitches and the ball is going over the plate. He should call it, but I have no comment over that. My teammates [have] probably never seen me fired up like that. I did what I had to do, and that's it."
Young was pinch-hitting for Brandon Boggs, who had already done his part with a second-inning home run off of Mariners starter Miguel Bautista. Hamilton also hit his 25th home run in the second inning.
Murphy filled Young's hole in the No. 3 spot in the lineup and scored twice after a double in the sixth and the rally-starting walk in the eighth. He also made the defensive play of the night after the Mariners loaded the bases with no outs against Rangers starter Vicente Padilla.
Raul Ibanez flied out to right and Murphy gunned down Willie Bloomquist with a strong throw to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
"I knew it was on line, but I didn't know if it was going to get there," Murphy said.
"He made a heckuva play," Bloomquist said. "He caught it off to his right side and had momentum going away from the ball. All those factors are going through my head. I thought I was going to make it."
He still might have but Saltalamacchia held his ground and blocked off home plate.
"He was either going to have to run over me or slide around me," Saltalamacchia said.
"That play kept us in the ballgame," Washington said. "It was a play we needed to make. In a game like this, it usually comes down to one at-bat or one play like that."
Or one big swing of the bat from a pinch-hitter.
Copyright 2001-2008 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Quintero sent to 15-day DL
HOUSTON -- Astros catcher Humberto Quintero came out of Tuesday's game vs. the Dodgers with a concussion and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
Quintero took a blow from L.A. shortstop Luis Maza's bat to the top of his helmet in the second inning.
Quintero was on the ground for three minutes, 58 seconds before being helped off by trainers and manager Cecil Cooper and was taken to Methodist Hospital for further testing. A CT scan performed at the hospital was negative, but he will be kept overnight for observation.
"It's really unfortunate," Cooper said. "He was playing very well for us, and his game calling has been much improved. He was starting to swing the bat for us a little bit."
Cooper said Quintero was groggy in the dugout as he was waiting for transportation to the hospital.
J.R. Towles will be recalled from Round Rock to replace Quintero. Towles, who was sent to the Express on June 5, is batting .288 in the Minors. Brad Ausmus replaced Quintero behind the plate in Wednesday's game.
"It's just bad luck," Ausmus said. "It happens. I had a concussion back in '03. It's just part of being a catcher. It's the hazards of the job."
Copyright 2001-2008 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Opponents shifting for Uggla
MIAMI -- Dan Uggla is getting the Ryan Howard treatment.
It's common to see infields shift for left-handed sluggers, like Howard of the Phillies, and a host of others.
It's rare to see teams shift their infielders for a right-handed batter. But in the series with the Rays, Uggla is seeing the infield altered to the left. Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura is either behind second base or on the shortstop side of the base when Uggla comes to bat.
Uggla, the Marlins second baseman who is vying for an All-Star spot, had two singles on Wednesday on balls hit either up the middle or to the right side.
"They shifted me some in the Minor Leagues," said Uggla, who isn't paying much attention to the shift.
Uggla entered Thursday leading the Major Leagues in home runs with 23.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said: "Based on information we gathered, we felt it was the best thing."
A look at Uggla's hitting chart shows that the right-handed hitter is a pull hitter. All of his 11 home runs at Dolphin Stadium this season have been to the left side of center field. So are a majority of his hits.
"It's worked for us, and we're going to keep going with it," Maddon said. "Did he put it in the seats?"
Copyright 2001-2008 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
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