Game 6: Apr 11, 1999 (W: 6-3)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
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Game 6: Apr 11, 1999 (W: 6-3)
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Game Commentary
Game Photos
Box/Line Score
Game Recap
Game Log
Commentary (by me)
Great game. Great seats. Oh my god, did I have great seats. I was
offered two seats that belonged to the law firm that represents my company. If
you're familiar with the Ballpark seating chart at
all, these were Section 32, Row 5, Seats 5-6. One thing to note - there are no rows 1-3 in
Section 32. :) This unbelievable view afforded me the opportunity to
take some really awesome shots of the game and
the ballpark.
Anyway, about the game.. Sele pitched better than anyone else on our staff (except maybe for Morgan out of the pen) again last night. He wasn't as impressive as the first time, but he still pitched a really great game, and finally left due to fatigue (he had pitched 125 pitches when he was pulled). He looked good from where I was sitting, even striking out the side once. The curve was awesome again - I hope he can keep this up for more than just April. :)
Our offense woke up early this time, scoring three times in the first inning. Goodwin led off with a triple to right center, losing his shoe as he ran around the bases (see below for a shot of that). Then Mac had another triple (could have been an error, too, but it was called a triple). We also had two doubles in the inning, and a sac fly by Rusty, scoring a total of three in the first inning. Looked great! We scored a couple more in the 5th on a few singles and an infield fielder's choice play. We didn't have any home runs (although Disney had one), but the offense looked in the groove. I wonder where the hell they were last night.
I spent a lot of time just admiring the ballpark tonight, as I don't ever get to sit in these kinds of seats. Even the ticket itself looks better than the regular tickets (see the scan of my ticket stub). On the flip side, Al Levine came in for the Angels for Belcher (man, what a silly name), and he pitched awesome. I really wish we didn't have to let him go - I loved him last year, and was disappointed that he had to go. I hope he does well for them, just not when he pitches against us. :)
It was a great game, but I don't feel overly wordy about it. The seats I were in just overshadowed the game. It was great that we won, and it was a great game, but man, when you get to sit where I sat last night, that tends to be the thing you remember the most. :)
Commentary (by Jim Meeks)
The Rangers won 6-3 Sunday night against the Angels, behind an explosive offense
and a valiant Aaron Sele.
The Rangers needed at least 5 innings out of Sele because the bullpen has been overworked
of late. No Rangers' starter had lasted 5 innings except for Sele in his start last
Tuesday.
Sele lasted 5.2 innings. His curve ball was as wicked as I have ever seen it. He fooled
the Angels into striking out 10 times. He gave up 3 runs but only 1 was unearned. Jon
Shave, filling in for the injured Royce Clayton, made two errors that led to those two
runs.
Sele would have lasted longer, but on a humid evening such as it was, the Angels had some
long innings (again, thanks to Shave's errors). The top of the third inning in particular
lasted forever, yet the Angels only scored one run, as Sele threw about 35
pitches.
The Rangers' offense, shut out on Saturday, were open for business Sunday. All 12 of their
hits came before the 6th inning. Although there were no home runs, they did smoke the ball
for a total of 4 extra base hits.
Every Ranger hitter in the lineup, with the exception of Lee Stevens, got at least a hit.
It was Sele and his 125 pitches though that was the story of this ball game. Mike Munoz,
an effective Tim Crabtree and good ole' John Wetteland (who got his second save) shut down
the Angels completely the last 3.1 innings of the game.
Sele has come through twice. Let's hope Mark Clark can come through once on Monday
afternoon.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention two last things; first of all Al Levine threw 4 innings
of work for the Angels and he looked fantastic. It's a shame we don't have him in our
bullpen any longer. Secondly, Jon Shave not only committed two costly errors Sunday, (his
second and third errors of the series) but he struck out early in the game on a pitch that
I swear was ear level. Shave has no business being in the big leagues playing this way.
Either Rafael Bournigal or Scott Sheldon at AAA could do a better job.
Photos
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| Tom Goodwin without his shoe - Tom lost his shoe rounding second on the game opening triple | Aaron Sele gettin' it done | Tim Belcher in the middle of the Ranger three run first inning | Randy Velarde attempting (and failing) to catch a ball hit by Pudge for a single in the third inning | Mike Munoz pitches in the sixth |
Line Score
AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ANAHEIM 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 6 1
TEXAS 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 x 6 12 2 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: ANA - TIM BELCHER, AL LEVINE (4TH), SCOTT
SCHOENEWEIS (8TH) AND MATT WALBECK
TEX - AARON SELE, MIKE MUNOZ (6TH), TIM CRABTREE
(6TH), JOHN WETTELAND (9TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
WP - AARON SELE (2-0)
LP - TIM BELCHER (0-1)
SAVE - JOHN WETTELAND (2)
HOME RUNS: ANA - TROY GLAUS (2) OFF SELE IN THE 6TH, 0 ON
TEX - NONE
TIME: 3:00 ATT: 23,175
PROBABLES: ANA - KEN HILL (0-1, 4.16)
TEX - MARK CLARK (0-0, 8.31)
Box Score
ANAHEIM (3) AT TEXAS (6) - FINAL
ANAHEIM ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
O Palmeiro lf 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 .174
Velarde 2b 5 0 2 1 0 2 2 .423
Erstad 1b 3 0 0 0 2 1 1 .174
Salmon rf 4 0 0 0 1 1 3 .304
G Anderson cf 3 0 0 0 1 3 2 .250
Glaus 3b 4 2 2 1 0 1 2 .409
Pritchett dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000
Walbeck c 3 0 0 0 1 1 2 .267
Sheets ss 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .368
Totals 35 3 6 2 5 12 17
BATTING: 2B - Glaus (4, Sele). 3B - Velarde (1, Sele). HR -
Glaus (2, 6th inning off Sele 0 on, 0 out). RBI - Velarde (4),
Glaus (5). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Sheets 1,
Glaus 1, G Anderson 1, Velarde 1, Salmon 1. Team LOB - 10.
FIELDING: E - O Palmeiro (1, fly ball). DP: 2 (Velarde-Sheets-Erstad,
Glaus-Velarde-Erstad).
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Goodwin cf 4 1 1 0 1 1 2 .222
Mclemore 2b 4 1 2 1 1 0 2 .333
Greer lf 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 .273
J Gonzalez rf 4 2 2 0 0 0 1 .375
R Palmeiro dh 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .273
I Rodriguez c 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 .304
Zeile 3b 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 .429
L Stevens 1b 3 0 0 1 1 0 5 .238
Shave ss 4 0 1 1 0 1 2 .308
Totals 34 6 12 6 3 3 17
BATTING: 2B - J Gonzalez (2, Belcher); Zeile (4, Belcher). 3B -
T Goodwin (1, Belcher); Mclemore (1, Belcher). SF - Greer. RBI -
Mclemore (1), Greer (6), R Palmeiro (3), Zeile (3), L Stevens (6),
Shave (2). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - L Stevens 2,
T Goodwin 1, R Palmeiro 1, Mclemore 2. GIDP - Greer, J Gonzalez.
Team LOB - 8.
BASERUNNING: SB - I Rodriguez (2, 2nd base off Levine/Walbeck).
FIELDING: E - Shave 2 (3, ground ball 2).
ANAHEIM ip h r er bb so hr era
Belcher (L, 0-1) 3 11 5 5 2 1 0 12.27
Levine 4 1 1 0 1 1 0 0.00
S Schoeneweis 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 13.50
TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era
Sele (W, 2-0) 5 2/3 5 3 1 3 10 1 0.71
M Munoz (H, 1) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Crabtree (H, 1) 2 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 8.10
Wetteland (S, 2) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0.00
Belcher pitched to 2 batters in the 4th.
M Munoz pitched to 1 batter in the 6th.
WP - Sele. Pitches-strikes: Sele 126-78; M Munoz 3-2; Crabtree
28-16; Wetteland 20-13; Belcher 76-46; Levine 50-27; S Schoeneweis
10-5. Ground balls-fly balls: Sele 6-1; M Munoz 0-0; Crabtree 4-2;
Wetteland 1-1; Belcher 5-3; Levine 8-3; S Schoeneweis 2-0. Batters
faced: Sele 27; M Munoz 1; Crabtree 8; Wetteland 4; Belcher 21;
Levine 14; S Schoeneweis 3.
UMPIRES: HP--Larry Mccoy. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Dale Ford.
3B--Jim Evans.
T--3:00. Att--23,175. Weather: 77 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 9 mph,
left to right.
Game Recap
ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) -- Aaron Sele struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings to
continue his April dominance and Mark McLemore, Rusty Greer and Rafael Palmeiro drove in
runs in the first inning as the Texas Rangers posted a 6-3 victory over the Anaheim
Angels.
Sele (2-0) recorded his second win in as many starts despite throwing 126 pitches. He
allowed three runs -- one earned -- and five hits with three walks to improve to 15-3
lifetime in April. Sele is off to a fast start again after winning his first five starts
last season.
"I was able to spot my fastball early in the game and when I needed a strikeout ...
and when I needed a strikeout I was able to get my curve over," Sele said. "I
just try to go out and do my job when I get the ball. I try to keep the game close and let
our guys hit it. I wish I could've been out there a bit further into the game but Crabby
(Tim Crabtree) came in and shut them down."
Sele is 2-0 with an 0.71 ERA while the rest of the Rangers' starters are 0-3 with a 13.17
ERA.
"I don't know if you can throw the curveball any better than he did tonight,"
Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "He threw it in the strike zone, out of the strike
zone and had a quality fastball and slider. If we catch the ball tonight, he really only
gives up a home run and that was after he was tired."
Tim Crabtree pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings and John Wetteland worked a scoreless ninth for
his second save.
Texas took the lead for good with three runs off Tim Belcher (0-1) in the first inning.
Tom Goodwin and McLemore began the frame with consecutive triples and Greer followed with
a sacrifice fly. After Juan Gonzalez doubled, Palmeiro delivered a run-scoring single to
right.
"Obviously, we have to improve on everything. I think this team has played decent
defensively," Palmeiro said. "We've done some good stuff and we've done a lot
bad. We just need to get some consistency at this point and play on a steady level."
Belcher was hit hard for the second time in two starts with the Angels, yielding five runs
and 11 hits over three-plus innings. In his two starts, Belcher has been rocked for 10
runs and 17 hits in 7 1/3 innings (12.27 ERA).
"It has happened before and I'm sure it will happen again. I know I am definitely a
better pitcher than I was tonight," Belcher said. "My pitch location was a
problem. My philosophy was fine but I just couldn't hit my spots. They came out swinging
tonight. I think they were frustrated the past two nights and they decided to come out
swinging tonight."
The Angels went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
"We did some good things tonight. Aaron Sele pitched a great game," Angels
manager Terry Collins said. "He changed speeds on his pitches very well. Troy was the
one guy who did hit Sele tonight. This is a stange game. Last night we hit the ball all
over the park and get 19 hits and tonight we just couldn't get the big hit."
Anaheim got a run back in the second when Troy Glaus doubled, moved up on a error by
shortstop Jon Shave and scored on a wild pitch.
Another error by Shave allowed Orlando Palmeiro to reach leading off the third and Randy
Velarde followed with a triple, drawing the Angels within 3-2.
But Texas extended is lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in its half of the third. Gonzalez,
Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and Todd Zeile stroked consecutive singles to make it 4-2.
Palmeiro came home on Lee Stevens' forceout.
Shave singled home Rodriguez in the fifth for a 6-2 lead and Glaus led off the sixth with
his second homer.
The Rangers will try to salvage a split of the four-game series Monday afternoon.
Game Log
Anaheim Starting Lineups -- Orlando Palmeiro LF, Randy Velarde 2B, Darin Erstad 1B,
Tim Salmon RF, Garret Anderson CF, Troy Glaus 3B, Chris Pritchett DH, Matt Walbeck C, Andy
Sheets SS, Tim Belcher RHP.
Texas Starting Lineups -- Tom Goodwin CF, Mark Mclemore 2B, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez
RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Ivan Rodriguez C, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Jon Shave SS,
Aaron Sele RHP.
Umpires -- L Mccoy (HP), C Meriwether (1B), Ford (2B), Evans (3B).
Gametime Weather: 77 degrees, Cloudy, wind left to right at 9 mph.
ANAHEIM 1ST: O Palmeiro grounded out to third. Velarde struck out swinging. Erstad walked.
Salmon grounded into fielder's choice to third, Erstad out at second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0
Errors) ANAHEIM 0, TEXAS 0.
TEXAS 1ST: T Goodwin tripled to right center. Mclemore tripled to right, T Goodwin scored.
Greer hit sacrifice fly to center, Mclemore scored. J Gonzalez doubled to left. R Palmeiro
singled to right, J Gonzalez scored. I Rodriguez flied out to center. Zeile doubled to
left, R Palmeiro to third. L Stevens grounded out to first. (3 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors)
ANAHEIM 0, TEXAS 3.
ANAHEIM 2ND: G Anderson struck out swinging. Glaus doubled to left. Pritchett safe at
first on shortstop Shave's fielding error, Glaus to third. Walbeck struck out swinging.
Glaus scored, Pritchett to second on Sele wild pitch. Sheets struck out swinging. (1 Run,
1 Hit, 1 Error) ANAHEIM 1, TEXAS 3.
TEXAS 2ND: Shave flied out to left center. T Goodwin walked. Mclemore walked, T Goodwin to
second. Greer grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Mclemore out at
second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 1, TEXAS 3.
ANAHEIM 3RD: O Palmeiro safe at first on shortstop Shave's fielding error. Velarde tripled
to right, O Palmeiro scored. Erstad struck out swinging. Salmon struck out looking. G
Anderson walked. Glaus struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) ANAHEIM 2, TEXAS 3.
TEXAS 3RD: J Gonzalez singled to center. R Palmeiro singled to center, J Gonzalez to
second. I Rodriguez singled to center, J Gonzalez to third, R Palmeiro to second. Zeile
singled to left center, J Gonzalez scored, R Palmeiro to third, I Rodriguez to second. L
Stevens grounded into fielder's choice to second, R Palmeiro scored, I Rodriguez to third,
Zeile out at second. Shave struck out swinging. T Goodwin grounded into fielder's choice
to shortstop, L Stevens out at second. (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 2, TEXAS 5.
ANAHEIM 4TH: Pritchett grounded out to third. Walbeck grounded out to second. Sheets
struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 2, TEXAS 5.
TEXAS 4TH: Mclemore singled to left. Greer singled to right, Mclemore to second. Al Levine
relieved Tim Belcher. J Gonzalez grounded into double play, third to second to first,
Greer out at second, Mclemore to third. R Palmeiro struck out looking. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0
Errors) ANAHEIM 2, TEXAS 5.
ANAHEIM 5TH: O Palmeiro popped out to shallow left. Velarde reached on infield single.
Erstad grounded out to shortstop, Velarde to second. Salmon walked. G Anderson struck out
looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 2, TEXAS 5.
TEXAS 5TH: I Rodriguez safe at first on left fielder O Palmeiro's fielding error. I
Rodriguez stole second. Zeile grounded out to second, I Rodriguez to third. L Stevens
walked. Shave singled to left, I Rodriguez scored, L Stevens to second. T Goodwin grounded
out to third, L Stevens to third, Shave to second. Mclemore fouled out to third. (1 Run, 1
Hit, 1 Error) ANAHEIM 2, TEXAS 6.
ANAHEIM 6TH: Glaus homered to left. Pritchett struck out swinging. Walbeck grounded out to
shortstop. Sheets singled to right. Mike Munoz relieved Aaron Sele. O Palmeiro singled to
left, Sheets to second. Tim Crabtree relieved Mike Munoz. Velarde grounded into fielder's
choice to third, Sheets out at third. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 6TH: Greer flied out to left. J Gonzalez flied out to center. R Palmeiro grounded
out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 6.
ANAHEIM 7TH: Erstad flied out to center. Salmon grounded out to third. G Anderson struck
out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 7TH: I Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop. Zeile grounded out to second. L Stevens
grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 6.
ANAHEIM 8TH: Glaus flied out to right. Pritchett grounded out to shortstop. Walbeck
walked. Sheets grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 8TH: Scott Schoeneweis relieved Al Levine. Shave grounded out to third. T Goodwin
struck out looking. Mclemore grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM
3, TEXAS 6.
ANAHEIM 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Tim Crabtree. O Palmeiro grounded out to second.
Velarde struck out swinging. Erstad walked. Erstad to second on fielder indifference.
Salmon flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ANAHEIM 3, TEXAS 6.