Game 4: Apr 9, 1999 (L: 8-4)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
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Game 4: Apr 9, 1999 (L: 8-4)
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Game Commentary
Game Photos
Box/Line Score
Game Recap
Game Log
Commentary (by me)
First off, what's with these damned red clickers that are all over the ballpark?
If you go to the ballpark and you have one of these things, and you're reading
this, tell me. WHY? They're the most annoying thing I've ever heard. It
sounds like the ballpark has been invaded by crickets, and they friggin annoying as all
hell. I complained to the customer relations people, and they said it was a
promotion from the Ft. Worth newspaper. Whomever there thought of this should have a
bullet in his head. This is the stupidest thing I have ever seen, and the most
annoying thing at the ballpark in all my time here. Period.
This was the first of my 13 Ranger mini plan ticket games, and already two two regular season games I've gone to (I was at the pre season game vs. the Astros, too) have been losses, both with a home run by the first batter. Chuck Finley beat the Rangers for the first time in 5 years, and in the second regular season game I've already been to this season, the first batter of the game hit a home run off Ranger pitching. Ugh. I didn't really have a good feeling about Burkett walking into the park, and I know he can pitch, but he seems to have a harder and harder time getting it together. Of course, Palmiero's home run (no, not that Palmiero) didn't help the feeling. Speaking of Home runs, there were a total of three by the Disney Angels (the other two being Todd Greene, and Ranger killer Tim Salmon). Salmon's almost wasn't a Home Run, as Roberto Kelly missed catching it off the wall by inches. It ws a helluva try, and it bounced on top of the wall, and went up several rows of seats. However, Roberto Kelly got himself picked off second base back in the second inning, or we might have got some more more runs there, too.
When Esteban Loaiza (anyone notice Warren Morris is tearing it up early for the Pirates) came in, I thought "Oh god". However, he actually pitched good - he came in with two outs in the third, and allowed only one hit (a double to Sheets) to the first eleven batters he faced (two 1-2-3 innings). Then in the seventh, it fell apart, with a single, a double, and a home run. He did finish the seventh, but was relieved in the eighth. Loaiza was hit in the leg by a batted ball, I don't know if that had anything to do with his breakdown or not. I don't think so, but still... Mike Munoz came on and pitched the final two innings, giving up the only walk by the Rangers of the night in the 8th, and a double in the 9th, but no damage done there. So far this season, I like our pickups pitching wise.
Our hitting was fairly decent, if not earth shattering. Jon Shave continued his six year hitting streak <g> last night by getting a single in the third (he was on base in the second when Kelly was picked off) - I believe that makes a 10 game Ranger hitting streak for Shave now. Not counting the two pinch hitters in the bottom of the ninth (Alicea for Shave, & Goodwin for Kelly), everyone on the team had some hits except for Raffy & Stevens, who both went ofers. The best offensive player was Pudge, with a single, a stolen base, an RBI, a run scored (himself) on his solo home run in the 5th. Juan had an RBI, but didn't seem rather impressive tonight.
We lost the first game to the Tigers then won the other two. If we win the final 3 of 4 against the Disney Angels, then I'll overlook tonight, which seemed to be Burkett's fault.
Commentary (by Jim Meeks)
Call me Bill James, but anytime your starting pitcher gives up a homer to the first
guy he faces, he's going to be in major doo-doo the rest of the game.
Or at least, so far has been the case this young season for the Rangers' hurlers.
John Burkett, coming off a bad Grapefruit Season, pitched like he was launching rockets at
Cape Canaveral Friday as he gave up two balls that cleared the fence and 2 doubles. The
Rangers and Burkett lost to the hated Angels, 8 to 4.
Burkett began the game by giving up a home run to Orlando Palmeiro. Palmeiro's homer was only
the third home run he's ever had, including all his years in the Minor Leagues. To allow a
homer to this guy is like allowing your 80 year-old grandmother to bust out a can of
whoop-ass on you. The Rangers' pitchers have given up more home runs this season - 8 -
than they have walked hitters - 7.
Burkett pitched like he did most of last year and as he did in the spring. He finished his
short outing giving up - hold your nose - 5 earned runs in 2 and one-third innings.
And you knew Johnny Oates thought the game was out of reach in the 3rd inning when he
summoned the Rangers' version of Theodore Kazynsky in from the bullpen. Yes, that wacky
unibomber himself, Esteban Loaiza.
Loaiza actually surprised, at least for a while. He came into the game with 2 outs in the
2nd and pitched four plus innings. No damage done until the 7th, when the wheels fell off
his uniwagon.
Offensively, the Rangers knocked around "Mr. California", Chuck Finley pretty
good. Finley gave up 2 homers in his 6 innings of duty, one to the red hot Todd
Zeile and the other to Ivan Rodriguez. Every starter in the Rangers' lineup managed a hit
Friday night - except Rafael Palmeiro, the lone Ranger with a history of killing Finley.
The Rangers managed a total 9 hits off of him in 6 innings, but it wasn't enough.
The Rangers had their chances to get even, but saw them go up in smoke. In the first, the
Rangers had 2 on and 1 out, only to have Juan Gonzalez bounce into an inning-ending double
dip. In the 3rd, they scored a run but wound up stranding runners at 2nd and 3rd.
Don't blame the offense though. Blame John Burkett.
Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image)
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| Juan Gonzalez gets an eyeball's view of an incoming ball | Mighty Raffy strikes out | Rusty Greer slides into second as Randy Velarde turns a double play | Orlando Palmiero is congratulated after his first inning Home Run |
Line Score
AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ANAHEIM 1 2 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 8 12 1
TEXAS 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 10 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: ANA - CHUCK FINLEY, MARK PETKOVSEK (7TH), TROY
PERCIVAL (9TH) AND CHARLIE OBRIEN
TEX - JOHN BURKETT, ESTEBAN LOAIZA (3RD), MIKE MUNOZ
(8TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
WP - CHUCK FINLEY (1-0)
LP - JOHN BURKETT (0-1)
SAVE - NONE
HOME RUNS: ANA - ORLANDO PALMEIRO (1) OFF BURKETT IN THE 1ST, 0 ON
TODD GREENE (1) OFF BURKETT IN THE 2ND, 1 ON
TIM SALMON (2) OFF LOAIZA IN THE 7TH, 1 ON
TEX - TODD ZEILE (1) OFF C FINLEY IN THE 2ND, 0 ON
IVAN RODRIGUEZ (1) OFF C FINLEY IN THE 5TH, 0 ON
TIME: 2:40 ATT: 31,633
PROBABLES: ANA - OMAR OLIVARES (NR)
TEX - RICK HELLING (0-1, 15.00)
Box Score
ANAHEIM (8) AT TEXAS (4) - FINAL
ANAHEIM ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
O Palmeiro lf 4 1 1 1 0 0 3 .083
Velarde 2b 5 2 2 1 0 1 1 .333
Erstad 1b 5 1 2 0 0 1 0 .200
Salmon rf 5 1 2 2 0 2 3 .375
G Anderson cf 5 0 0 0 0 2 3 .118
Glaus 3b 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 .385
T Greene dh 4 1 1 2 0 0 1 .143
Obrien c 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
Sheets ss 3 1 2 0 1 1 0 .455
Totals 39 8 12 8 1 7 13
BATTING: 2B - Salmon (1, Burkett); Glaus (2, Burkett); Sheets
(1, Loaiza); Velarde (1, Loaiza); Erstad (2, M Munoz). HR -
O Palmeiro (1, 1st inning off Burkett 0 on, 0 out); T Greene
(1, 2nd inning off Burkett 1 on, 0 out); Salmon (2, 7th inning off
Loaiza 1 on, 2 out). S - O Palmeiro. RBI - O Palmeiro (1), T Greene 2 (2),
Glaus 2 (4), Velarde (1), Salmon 2 (4). 2-out RBI - Glaus 2, Salmon 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - G Anderson 2, T Greene 1,
Velarde 1, O Palmeiro 1. Team LOB - 6.
FIELDING: E - Velarde (1, throw). DP: 1 (Sheets-Velarde-Erstad).
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
Mclemore 2b 4 1 2 0 0 2 0 .500
I Rodriguez c 4 1 2 1 0 1 3 .353
Greer lf 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 .313
J Gonzalez rf 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .412
R Palmeiro dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .200
Zeile 3b 4 1 1 1 0 1 2 .467
R Kelly cf 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 .571
a-T Goodwin ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .200
L Stevens 1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .333
Shave ss 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 .333
b-Alicea ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .091
Totals 35 4 10 4 1 8 10
a-struck out for R Kelly in the 9th; b-struck out for Shave in
the 9th.
BATTING: 2B - Mclemore (1, C Finley). HR - Zeile (1, 2nd inning
off C Finley 0 on, 1 out); I Rodriguez (1, 5th inning off C Finley
0 on, 1 out). RBI - Zeile (2), Greer (5), J Gonzalez (4),
I Rodriguez (2). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Zeile 2,
L Stevens 1. GIDP - J Gonzalez. Team LOB - 5.
BASERUNNING: SB - I Rodriguez (1, 2nd base off C Finley/Obrien).
Picked off - R Kelly (2nd base, C Finley).
FIELDING: E - Shave (1, throw).
ANAHEIM ip h r er bb so hr era
C Finley (W, 1-0) 6 9 4 4 1 5 2 6.00
Petkovsek 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00
Percival 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.00
TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era
Burkett (L, 0-1) 2 2/3 7 5 5 0 2 2 16.87
Loaiza 4 1/3 4 3 3 0 3 1 9.95
M Munoz 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 0.00
WP - C Finley. Pitches-strikes: Burkett 53-34; Loaiza 59-43;
M Munoz 31-16; C Finley 91-60; Petkovsek 27-17; Percival 15-10.
Ground balls-fly balls: Burkett 4-2; Loaiza 5-5; M Munoz 3-1;
C Finley 7-5; Petkovsek 4-1; Percival 1-0. Batters faced: Burkett 15;
Loaiza 17; M Munoz 9; C Finley 26; Petkovsek 7; Percival 3.
UMPIRES: HP--Dale Ford. 1B--Jim Evans. 2B--Larry Mccoy.
3B--Randy Marsh.
T--2:40. Att--31,633. Weather: 80 degrees, clear. Wind: 10 mph,
in from right.
AL ANAHEIM AT TEXAS
NOTE: THE HOME RUN BY ANAHEIM'S ORLANDO PALMEIRO LED OFF THE
GAME.
Game Recap
ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) -- Orlando Palmeiro led off the game with a homer and
things just got better for the Anaheim Angels.
Chuck Finley tossed six effective innings to snap a personal nine-game losing streak
against the Texas Rangers as Anaheim posted an 8-4 victory in the opener of a four-game
series.
Todd Greene, Troy Glaus and Tim Salmon each drove in two runs for the Angels, who recorded
five doubles and three homers among their 12 hits.
Finley (1-0) allowed four runs and nine hits, walking one and striking out five. Mark
Petkovsek tossed two scoreless innings before Troy Percival struck out two in a perfect
ninth.
"I feel I could have done a little better but I'll take it," said Finley, who
beat the Rangers for the first time since June 29, 1995. "I'll never turn down a win.
It felt nice to go out there and work on some things."
"Chuck threw well," said Angels manager Terry Collins. "Early on his
mechanics were not where they want to be but he did good. He gave us innings and that is
what you need out of your starting pitchers."
Texas starter John Burkett (0-1) was hammered for five runs and seven hits in just 2 2/3
innings. The veteran righthander surrendered Palmeiro's first major-league homer to open
the game and a two-run shot to Greene in the second.
"My slider was flat," Burkett said. "They took it whenever it was up in the
zone. I just didn't do the job. I'll take this and I'll be ready next time."
Palmeiro, who will see increased time with slugging first baseman Mo Vaughn disabled, hit
a 3-2 pitch over the right-field wall to open the contest. Anaheim tacked on two more runs
in the second on Greene's two-run homer.
Todd Zeile's solo homer in the bottom of the second cut the deficit to 3-1 but Anaheim got
a two-out double by Glaus in the third to seize a 5-1 advantage.
The Rangers had a chance to get even in the third when Jon Shave led off with a single and
Mark McLemore doubled. Ivan Rodriguez popped out but Rusty Greer beat out an infield
single to plate a run.
Juan Gonzalez singled to left to get Texas within 5-3. Rafael Palmeiro struck out but a
wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Finley regrouped and induced Zeile to
pop to center to end the threat.
Texas got within 5-4 when Rodriguez homered with one out in
the fifth. But the Rangers got no closer and the Angels broke open the game with three
runs in the seventh.
Andy Sheets led off with a single and Orlando Palmeiro bunted him over. Randy Velarde
doubled into the left-center gap to score Sheets and one out later Salmon crushed a homer
over the wall in left-center field for an 8-4 lead.
"We got behind, almost caught up, then fell behind again," said Rangers manager
Johnny Oates. "Burkett really struggled with his command and the location of his
breaking ball really got him in trouble."
Game Log
Anaheim Starting Lineups -- Orlando Palmeiro LF, Randy Velarde 2B, Darin Erstad 1B,
Tim Salmon RF, Garret Anderson CF, Troy Glaus 3B, Todd Greene DH, Charlie Obrien C, Andy
Sheets SS, Chuck Finley LHP.
Texas Starting Lineups -- Mark Mclemore 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rusty Greer LF, Juan
Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Todd Zeile 3B, Roberto Kelly CF, Lee Stevens 1B, Jon
Shave SS, John Burkett RHP.
Umpires -- Ford (HP), Evans (1B), L Mccoy (2B), Marsh (3B).
Gametime Weather: 80 degrees, Clear, wind in from right at 10 mph.
ANAHEIM 1ST: O Palmeiro homered to right. Velarde grounded out to shortstop. Erstad
grounded out to first. Salmon doubled to left. G Anderson struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2
Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 1, TEXAS 0.
TEXAS 1ST: Mclemore struck out swinging. I Rodriguez singled to shallow right center. I
Rodriguez stole second. Greer walked. J Gonzalez grounded into double play, shortstop to
second to first, Greer out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 1, TEXAS 0.
ANAHEIM 2ND: Glaus singled to shallow left center. T Greene homered to center, Glaus
scored. Obrien grounded out to shortstop. Sheets struck out looking. O Palmeiro grounded
out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 0.
TEXAS 2ND: R Palmeiro grounded out to pitcher. Zeile homered to left. R Kelly reached on
infield single. L Stevens grounded out to first, R Kelly to second. R Kelly picked off at
second, pitcher to shortstop. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 1.
ANAHEIM 3RD: Velarde singled to shallow left. Erstad singled to right, Velarde to second.
Salmon flied out to shallow center. G Anderson flied out to center, Velarde to third.
Glaus doubled to deep left, Velarde and Erstad scored. Esteban Loaiza relieved John
Burkett. T Greene flied out to shallow center. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS
1.
TEXAS 3RD: Shave singled to shallow right. Mclemore doubled to left, Shave to third. I
Rodriguez popped out to shallow right. Greer reached on infield single, Shave scored,
Mclemore to third. J Gonzalez singled to left, Mclemore scored, Greer to second. R
Palmeiro struck out swinging. Greer to third, J Gonzalez to second on C Finley wild pitch.
Zeile popped out to shallow left center. (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS 3.
ANAHEIM 4TH: Obrien flied out to right. Sheets doubled to deep right. O Palmeiro flied out
to right. Velarde struck out looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS 3.
TEXAS 4TH: R Kelly grounded out to shortstop. L Stevens struck out swinging. Shave lined
out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS 3.
ANAHEIM 5TH: Erstad struck out swinging. Salmon struck out swinging. G Anderson grounded
out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS 3.
TEXAS 5TH: Mclemore struck out looking. I Rodriguez homered to left center. Greer grounded
out to first. J Gonzalez grounded out to third. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS
4.
ANAHEIM 6TH: Glaus grounded out to pitcher. T Greene flied out to left. Obrien grounded
out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS 4.
TEXAS 6TH: R Palmeiro flied out to left. Zeile struck out swinging. R Kelly reached on
infield single. R Kelly to second on 2nd baseman Velarde's throwing error. L Stevens
popped out to shallow left center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) ANAHEIM 5, TEXAS 4.
ANAHEIM 7TH: Sheets singled to center. O Palmeiro sacrificed Sheets to second. Velarde
doubled to left center, Sheets scored. Erstad grounded out to third, Velarde to third.
Salmon homered to left center, Velarde scored. G Anderson flied out to left. (3 Runs, 3
Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 8, TEXAS 4.
TEXAS 7TH: Mark Petkovsek relieved Chuck Finley. Shave grounded out to second. Mclemore
reached on infield single. I Rodriguez struck out looking. Greer grounded out to first. (0
Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 8, TEXAS 4.
ANAHEIM 8TH: Mike Munoz relieved Esteban Loaiza. Glaus safe at first on shortstop Shave's
throwing error. T Greene grounded out to pitcher, Glaus to second. Obrien grounded out to
pitcher. Sheets walked. O Palmeiro grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Sheets out
at second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Error) ANAHEIM 8, TEXAS 4.
TEXAS 8TH: J Gonzalez flied out to shallow left center. R Palmeiro grounded out to first.
Zeile grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 8, TEXAS 4.
ANAHEIM 9TH: Velarde flied out to shallow right. Erstad doubled to right. Salmon struck
out swinging. G Anderson struck out looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 8, TEXAS 4.
TEXAS 9TH: Troy Percival relieved Mark Petkovsek. T Goodwin hit for R Kelly. T Goodwin
struck out swinging. L Stevens grounded out to first. Alicea hit for Shave. Alicea struck
out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 8, TEXAS 4.