1999 Results: Mar 28, 1999 (L: 11-9)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
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1999 Results: Mar 28, 1999 (L: 11-9)
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Game Commentary
Game Photos
Box/Line Score
Game Recap
Rangers Media Notes
Commentary (by me)
This is a game I thought we had wrapped up, but then our usually stable bullpen
threw a major boner and gave up 6 runs in the top of the seventh. We didn't make any
errors today, but our relief pitching wasn't all that great. Mark Clark looked good
today, which was nice, and Ruben Mateo had an absolute bullet in from right field.
There was a play where he tried to throw out someone scoring (he didn't), but the throw
was something of beauty. From about mid-deep right field, he one bounced it to the
plate - no one touched it, and the bounce was about 3/4 of the way from the pitcher's
mound to the plate. I can't recall the last time I could see someone who threw like
this. Scarbrough Green also made a few really nice defensive catches in center
field, too. We were offensively crushed by the Pirates' non roster player Ivan Cruz who
was four for four with a home run and four RBI's.
Johnny Oates said during the game that he feels that the positions still up for grabs are not going to be decided until after Saturday afternoon's game (the final pre-season game). Quite frankly, none of the relief pitchers (except Jonathan Johnson) did anything to help themselves today.
There was a nice thing today and yesterday where the TV announcers were hooked up via wireless mikes to various coaches. Over yesterday and today, we got to hear from Johnny Oates, Dick Bosman, Jerry Narron, and one or two others. Gave some nice insight into what they think of the team, and what the first and third base coaches actually say to players when they're on base.
Rusty Greer had a really nice home run when our first base coach was on the microphone that was really helped out by the wind which brought a very foul ball back in fair for a home run. Pudge also had a solo shot earlier in the game. Overall I felt the Rangers lookd good, especially Mark Clark - but the relief pitching let us down. We sort of mounted a comeback after we were down 11-6, but it wasn't enough to come back and win the game.
Commentary (by Jim Meeks)
Relief pitchers Al Levine, Tim Crabtree and Jeff Zimmerman blew a 3 run Rangers
lead and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated Texas 11-9.
Mark Clark was the starter for Texas and even though he wasn't terrible, he didn't pitch
well either (5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H). But it was the bullpen that lost the game Sunday.
Offensively, the Rangers banged out 12 hits and continue to smoke the ball this spring.
Rusty Greer (2-3, 3 RBI) and Pudge Rodriguez each smashed homers. Rodriguez remains the
American League' top hitter this spring.
Todd Zeile and Lee Stevens added 2 hits each but the 9 runs the Rangers plated just
weren't enough.
The Rangers had only their 3rd errorless game of the spring.
| None available |
Line Score
GPFT FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
PITTSBURGH 0 0 2 0 1 0 6 2 0 11 15 2
TEXAS 0 2 1 0 3 0 0 3 0 9 12 0 FINAL
WP - MIKE WILLIAMS (2-0)
LP - ALAN LEVINE (2-1)
HOME RUNS: PIT - BRIAN GILES (1) OFF M CLARK IN THE 5TH
IVAN CRUZ (4) OFF ZIMMERMAN IN THE 8TH
TEX - IVAN RODRIGUEZ (2) OFF P SCHOUREK IN THE 2ND
RUSTY GREER (1) OFF P SCHOUREK IN THE 5TH
TIME: 3:03 ATT: 2,360
Box Score
PITTSBURGH (11) AT TEXAS (9)
PITTSBURGH AB R H BI TEXAS AB R H BI
KENDALL C 4 1 2 0 MCLEMORE 2B 3 0 1 1
WASHINGTON C 1 0 0 0 SHELDON 3B 1 0 0 0
MEARES SS 3 1 1 0 CLAYTON SS 2 2 1 0
LORENZANA SS 1 0 0 0 DRANSFELDT 2B 1 0 0 1
GILES LF 2 2 2 2 GREER LF 3 1 2 3
A BROWN LF 1 1 1 0 CUYLER LF 2 0 0 1
CRUZ 1B 4 2 4 4 I RODRIGUEZ C 3 1 1 1
B BROWN CF 4 1 1 2 HUBBARD C 2 0 0 0
REDMAN CF 1 0 0 0 ZEILE 3B 3 2 2 0
WARD DH 5 1 1 1 SHAVE SS 1 0 0 0
SPRAGUE 3B 5 0 0 0 R KELLY DH 3 0 1 0
J GUILLEN CF 4 1 1 0 ALICEA DH 2 0 0 0
MORRIS 2B 5 1 2 2 L STEVENS 1B 3 0 2 1
ZAUN 1B 2 1 1 0
MATEO CF 4 1 0 0
S GREEN CF 3 1 1 0
TOTALS 40 11 15 11 TOTALS 38 9 12 8
PITTSBURGH 002 010 620--11
TEXAS 021 030 030-- 9
E--REDMAN, SPRAGUE. DP--PITTSBURGH 1, TEXAS 1.
LOB--PITTSBURGH 7, TEXAS 7. 2B--ZEILE. 3B--B BROWN,
MORRIS. HR--I RODRIGUEZ (OFF P SCHOUREK), GILES (OFF M
CLARK), GREER (OFF P SCHOUREK), CRUZ (OFF ZIMMERMAN).
SB--CLAYTON. CS--MCLEMORE. S--MEARES. SF--CRUZ.
IP H R ER BB SO HR
PITTSBURGH
P SCHOUREK 4 2-3 7 6 6 5 3 2
J WALLACE 0 1-3 2 0 0 0 0 0
MI WILLIAMS (W) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
CHRISTIANSEN 1 1 0 0 0 2 0
DOUGHERTY 2 2 3 0 0 2 0
TEXAS
M CLARK 5 7 3 3 1 2 1
LEVINE (L) 1 1-3 3 4 4 2 0 0
CRABTREE 0 2-3 3 2 2 0 1 0
ZIMMERMAN 1 2 2 2 0 0 1
JOHNSON 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
WP--M CLARK. PB--HUBBARD.
T--3:03. A--2,360.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) _ Nonroster player Ivan Cruz went
4-for-4, including his fourth home run of the spring, and knocked in four runs Sunday to
lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 11-9 win over the Texas Rangers.
Cruz, who spent the last three seasons in the New York Yankees organization, had three
singles, a sacrifice fly and a towering home run to center field.
Trailing 6-3, the Pirates (13-10 Grapefruit League) sent 10 men to the plate and scored
six runs in the seventh off Texas relievers Al Levine (2-1) and Tim Crabtree.
Brant Brown and Warren Morris had two-run triples in the Pirates' big inning.
Brian Giles socked his first homer in the fifth off Texas starter Mark Clark.
Mike Williams (2-0) pitched one perfect inning to gain the victory for Pittsburgh.
Ivan Rodriguez, who came into the game as the leading hitter in the American League,
belted his second homer for the Rangers (11-11). Rodriguez, who went 1-for-3, is batting
.468 (22-for-47).
Rusty Greer knocked in three runs with a pair of hits, including his first homer.
Pittsburgh starter Pete Schourek allowed seven hits and six runs in 4 2-3 innings.
Clark surrendered seven hits and three runs in five innings for Texas.