Rangers AM News: Texas Leads AL West By 2 Games

The Texas Rangers badly needed a win with ace Coole Hamels on the mound on Tuesday night at Globe Life Stadium – and got it, 7-6.

Tuesday night’s game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Lions was the biggest of the year for the locals. Having lost three straight to the Houston Astros and these Tigers, the Rangers entered the contest leading the American League West by just 1.5 games.

Staff-ace Cole Hamels entered the game having won five games in his last eight starts in a Rangers uniform and brought a 2.78 ERA into the game.

But the Tigers led 2-0 after just a half inning of play.

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Fortunately for the Rangers, the offense showed up to play Tuesday night.

After a lead-off line drive by Delino DeShields that somehow managed to scoot beneath the glove of Ian Kinsler at second base, red-hot Shin-Soo Choo launched his 21st home run of the season to immediately tie the score at 2-2.

The Rangers would send nine batters to the plate in a 1st inning that cost Tigers starting pitcher Daniel Norris 54 pitches. Reliever Buck Farmer took over after just an inning and two thirds.

The five-run first frame certainly gave the appearance that the Rangers might run away with this meeting, yet Texas would only score two more runs on the night while Hamels gave up 2-out, 2-run rallies to Detroit over the first three innings of work, which led to a 6-6 tie heading into the 4th frame.

Adrian Beltre’s strange ground-rule double in the 4th inning would score Choo from second base on what appeared to be a somewhat routine deep fly ball to the right field corner. But right fielder J.D. Martinez’s uninspired reach for the ball on the run allowed it to hit the dirt and bounce lazily into the stands to a shocked spectator for the final scoring of the contest.

Hamels settled down through the 6th inning and helped set the stage for relievers Sam Dyson and Keone Kela who each pitched scoreless innings before Shawn Tolleson earned save No.34 in a crucial 7-6 victory that included three errors committed by the visitors.

So, Texas now leads not the Houston Astros, but the Los Angeles Angles by 2 games with five to play. Following Wednesday’s series finale against Detroit, those same Angels come to Arlington for a four-game series that will undoubtedly determine the winner of the AL West and almost certainly one of those two AL Wild Card spots currently owned by Los Angeles and the New York Yankees.

Following a 6-4 loss in Seattle to the Mariners, the Astros find themselves currently on the outside looking into the MLB postseason.

With their magic number to win the West at just four games, Yovani Gallardo (12-11) gets the start for the Rangers Wednesday night beginning at 7:05pm CDT.

Rangers News From Around The Internet

AL West Leader Texas Snaps 3-Game Skid, 7-6 Over Tigers (Sports Illustrated via Associated Press)

Complete breakdown of the biggest win of the season for the Rangers at Globe Life Park. With the victory, Texas maintains complete control over their own destiny with five games remaining, all taking place in Arlington.

No Need To Sound Alarm, Hamels Delivers Rangers Win (Dallas Morning News – Gerry Fraley)

Much talk is being made regarding the performance of Hamels, but not to be forgotten is the outstanding play made by Drew Stubbs in center field that likely saved the game for the Rangers. Fraley also discusses how unusual it was for Hamels to give up so many early runs while still winning a game – big time stuff on Tuesday night.

Looking Back: History Of Texas Rangers Postseason Appearances (Dallas Morning News – Staff)

From the postseason breakthrough of the 1990s to World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, DMN staff writers look back at the limited, albeit exciting, history of the Rangers in the MLB posteason. Bittersweet as it may be, 2015 could mark a new chapter for one of the most unlikely AL playoff participants who might be a year ahead of schedule.

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• Published on 09/30/2015 at 14:01 PM
• Last updated at 09/30/2015 at 12:21 PM