Game 18: Apr 24, 1999 (W: 7-2)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
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Game 18: Apr 24, 1999 (W: 7-2)
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Game Commentary
Game Recap
Game Photos
Box/Line Score
Game Log
Commentary (by me)
As I put this page together on Monday morning, I've had only 5 hours sleep in the
last two days - my recall of the game is next to nothing. We'll have to rely on
Jim's commentary today. :)
Commentary (by Jim Meeks)
Is it possible the Rangers' pitching staff has turned it around?
Since last Sunday (April 18th), the Rangers ERA sits at a very lovely 3.00. The addition
of Mike Venafro and the subtraction of John Burkett to the staff should only make things
better.
In his last outing, Joe coined Mike Morgan, "the steal of the off-season". I
don't think it could be put any more eloquently. Morgan pitched 7 innings on Saturday and
held the Twins to 2 earned runs. Venafro and - here's that name again - Jeff Zimmerman -
each pitched a scoreless inning and the Rangers won 7-2.
Morgan, along with Aaron Sele and Zimmerman, have been the saviors of the Rangers. If not
for them, this team likely would be in the cellar, Remember how poorly Rick Helling, Mark
Clark and John Burkett pitched their first 2 outings and 3 outings, respectively? As
ineffective as they were, Morgan has been supreme.
Saturday, Morgan got help from Juan Gonzalez, who collected 3 more RBI's and 3 hits. The
Rangers scored 7 runs on 10 hits, making the most of each hit. Raffy Palmeiro belted a
homer (his 4th) and drove in 2.
It is interesting to note that for the second time in a span of 4 days, Tom Goodwin stole
a run in the first inning. Against Roger Clemens on Wednesday, he walked, stole two bases
and came home on a catcher's error and Saturday the exact same thing happened. If Goodwin
could only get on base more, he would be such an intimidating factor...
Even though the Rangers lost both games in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, they
finished the week at 4 wins and 2 losses. This long road trip began April 13th
and the Rangers are 7-4 so far on the road, which is nothing short of outstanding.
Game Recap
MINNEAPOLIS (TICKER) -- Journeyman Mike Morgan, off to the best start of his
21-year career, allowed two runs over seven innings and Juan Gonzalez had three RBI to
lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-2 triumph over the Minnesota Twins.
Morgan (4-0) allowed seven hits and struck out four to become the first four-game winner
in the major leagues. The 39-year-old righthander, who is the first player ever to pitch
for 11 different teams, improved to 6-6 lifetime against one of his many former teams.
"The starting pitching was great tonight," said Texas manager Johnny Oates.
"Mike did a super job for us as he has done all season. He's got a game plan and he
goes out and executes it. It's nice to get three against this ballclub because they gave
us a lot of trouble last year."
Morgan, who threw 55 of 87 pitches for strikes, went 4-2 in 18 games with Minnesota last
year before getting traded to the Chicago Cubs. His best previous start was 3-0 in 1990
when he finished with an 11-15 record for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"We as a team are happy. The guys played well defensively behind me," Morgan
said. "I'm satisfied that I am able to keep the team in the game. My job as a pitcher
is to go out there and throw strikes that's what I did tonight."
Gonzalez, who went 64 at-bats without a home run before hitting a three-run shot in
Friday's 4-2 win, had a two-run single that snapped a 1-1 tie in the third inning and
added an RBI double in the fifth.
Rafael Palmeiro homered for Texas, which improved to 7-4 on its 12-game road trip.
LaTroy Hawkins (1-3) was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.
"They have a good lineup," Hawkins said about he Rangers. "I've had a bad
April and hopefully May will get better."
Hawkins retired the first two batters in the third but Mark McLemore followed with a
singled to left center. Rusty Greer doubled off the wall in left field and Gonzalez
singled up the middle to give the Rangers a 3-1 advantage. Texas added a run in the fourth
when Ivan Rodriguez led off with a single and scored on a double by Lee Stevens.
McLemore singled up the middle to start the fifth and one out later Gonzalez delievered an
RBI double to right for a 5-1 lead. Palmeiro chased Hawkins by sending a 3-0 pitch over
the right-field wall for his fourth homer and a 7-1 lead.
Terry Steinbach led off the fifth and reached second when McLemore threw wildly after
fielding his groundball. One out later Cristian Guzman recahed on an infield hit and Todd
Walker followed with a run-scoring single to make it 7-2. Morgan escaped further damage by
retiring Torii Hunter and Matt Lawton on consecutive groundouts.
Mike Venafro and Jeff Zimmerman each tossed a scoreless inning for the Rangers.
Tom Goodwin staked the Rangers to a 1-0 lead when he led off the game with a walk, stole
second and third base and came home when catcher Steinbach threw wildly. Minnesota tied
the game on Ron Coomer's RBI groundout in the second.
 |
 |
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| Tom Goodwin steals second in the first | Matt Lawton steals second in the fourth |
Line Score
AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TEXAS 1 0 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 7 10 2
MINNESOTA 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 9 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: TEX - MIKE MORGAN, MIKE VENAFRO (8TH), JEFF
ZIMMERMAN (9TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
MIN - LATROY HAWKINS, BOB WELLS (5TH), RICK AGUILERA
(9TH) AND TERRY STEINBACH
WP - MIKE MORGAN (4-0)
LP - LATROY HAWKINS (1-3)
SAVE - NONE
HOME RUNS: TEX - RAFAEL PALMEIRO (4) OFF HAWKINS IN THE 5TH, 1 ON
MIN - NONE
TIME: 2:37 ATT: 19,479
PROBABLES: TEX - RICK HELLING (0-3, 8.53)
MIN - DAN PERKINS (0-0, 7.00)
Box Score
TEXAS (7) AT MINNESOTA (2) - FINAL
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Goodwin cf 4 1 0 0 1 0 1 .211
Mclemore 2b 5 2 2 0 0 1 0 .311
Greer lf 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 .324
J Gonzalez rf 4 1 3 3 0 0 0 .286
R Palmeiro dh 4 1 1 2 0 0 2 .293
I Rodriguez c 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 .302
L Stevens 1b 3 0 1 1 1 1 1 .328
Alicea 3b 4 0 0 0 0 3 3 .200
Clayton ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .109
Totals 37 7 10 6 2 5 9
BATTING: 2B - Greer (10, Hawkins); L Stevens (5, Hawkins);
J Gonzalez (4, Hawkins). HR - R Palmeiro (4, 5th inning off
Hawkins 1 on, 1 out). RBI - J Gonzalez 3 (13), L Stevens (13),
R Palmeiro 2 (11). 2-out RBI - J Gonzalez 2. Runners left in
scoring position, 2 out - T Goodwin 1, Alicea 1, Clayton 1.
Team LOB - 5.
BASERUNNING: SB - T Goodwin 2 (10, 2nd base off Hawkins/Steinbach,
3rd base off Hawkins/Steinbach).
FIELDING: E - Alicea (1, throw); Mclemore (2, throw).
DP: 2 (I Rodriguez-Alicea, Alicea-Mclemore-L Stevens).
MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Walker 2b 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 .224
T Hunter cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .231
Lawton rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 .319
M Cordova dh 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 .321
Coomer 3b 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 .267
Mientkiewicz 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .271
Steinbach c 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 .262
Latham lf 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .059
C Guzman ss 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 .200
Totals 34 2 9 2 0 4 8
BATTING: 2B - Mientkiewicz (8, Zimmerman). RBI - Coomer (4),
T Walker (6). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - T Hunter 1,
Lawton 2, Steinbach 1. GIDP - Lawton. Team LOB - 5.
BASERUNNING: SB - Lawton (4, 2nd base off Morgan/I Rodriguez).
CS - Lawton (2, 3rd base by Morgan/I Rodriguez).
FIELDING: E - Steinbach (3, throw).
TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era
Morgan (W, 4-0) 7 7 2 2 0 4 0 3.42
Venafro 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Zimmerman 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era
Hawkins (L, 1-3) 4 1/3 9 7 7 1 2 1 10.89
Wells 3 2/3 1 0 0 1 3 0 6.39
Aguilera 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.75
WP - Morgan, Wells 2. Pitches-strikes: Hawkins 87-51; Wells
50-33; Aguilera 5-5; Morgan 87-55; Venafro 9-8; Zimmerman 13-7.
Ground balls-fly balls: Hawkins 5-6; Wells 3-5; Aguilera 2-1;
Morgan 9-7; Venafro 2-1; Zimmerman 1-2. Batters faced: Hawkins 23;
Wells 13; Aguilera 3; Morgan 27; Venafro 3; Zimmerman 4.
UMPIRES: HP--Dave Phillips. 1B--Rocky Roe. 2B--Durwood Merrill.
3B--Fieldin Culbreth.
T--2:37. Att--19,479. Indoors.
Game Log
Texas Starting Lineups -- Tom Goodwin CF, Mark Mclemore 2B, Rusty Greer LF, Juan
Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Ivan Rodriguez C, Lee Stevens 1B, Luis Alicea 3B, Royce
Clayton SS, Mike Morgan RHP.
Minnesota Starting Lineups -- Todd Walker 2B, Torii Hunter CF, Matt Lawton RF, Marty
Cordova DH, Ron Coomer 3B, Doug Mientkiewicz 1B, Terry Steinbach C, Chris Latham LF,
Cristian Guzman SS, Latroy Hawkins RHP.
Umpires -- Phillips (HP), Roe (1B), D Merrill (2B), Culbreth (3B).
Gametime Weather: Indoors
TEXAS 1ST: T Goodwin walked. T Goodwin stole second. T Goodwin stole third. T Goodwin
scored on catcher Steinbach's throwing error. Mclemore struck out swinging. Greer grounded
out to second. J Gonzalez singled to left. R Palmeiro lined out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit,
1 Error) TEXAS 1, MINNESOTA 0.
MINNESOTA 1ST: T Walker grounded out to third. T Hunter flied out to left center. Lawton
flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, MINNESOTA 0.
TEXAS 2ND: I Rodriguez grounded out to second. L Stevens grounded out to first. Alicea
struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, MINNESOTA 0.
MINNESOTA 2ND: M Cordova reached on infield single. M Cordova to second on 3rd baseman
Alicea's throwing error. M Cordova to third on Morgan wild pitch. Coomer grounded out to
shortstop, M Cordova scored. Mientkiewicz flied out to deep right center. Steinbach
grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 1, MINNESOTA 1.
TEXAS 3RD: Clayton grounded out to second. T Goodwin flied out to center. Mclemore singled
to left center. Greer doubled to deep left, Mclemore to third. J Gonzalez singled to
center, Mclemore and Greer scored. R Palmeiro flied out to center. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0
Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 1.
MINNESOTA 3RD: Latham grounded out to shortstop. C Guzman reached on infield single. T
Walker grounded out to shortstop, C Guzman to second. T Hunter popped out to shallow
right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 1.
TEXAS 4TH: I Rodriguez singled to right. L Stevens doubled to deep left, I Rodriguez
scored. Alicea flied out to left center. Clayton grounded out to shortstop, L Stevens to
third. T Goodwin lined out to pitcher. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, MINNESOTA 1.
MINNESOTA 4TH: Lawton singled to left. Lawton stole second. M Cordova struck out swinging.
Lawton caught stealing, catcher to third. Coomer singled to right. Mientkiewicz popped out
to shortstop. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, MINNESOTA 1.
TEXAS 5TH: Mclemore singled to center. Greer flied out to left. J Gonzalez doubled to
right, Mclemore scored. R Palmeiro homered to right, J Gonzalez scored. Bob Wells relieved
Latroy Hawkins. I Rodriguez singled to left. I Rodriguez to second on Wells wild pitch. L
Stevens struck out looking. Alicea struck out swinging. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS
7, MINNESOTA 1.
MINNESOTA 5TH: Steinbach reached on infield single. Steinbach to second on 2nd baseman
Mclemore's throwing error. Latham flied out to deep right center. C Guzman reached on
infield single. T Walker singled to center, Steinbach scored, C Guzman to second. T Hunter
grounded out to pitcher, C Guzman to third, T Walker to second. Lawton grounded out to
first. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
TEXAS 6TH: Clayton grounded out to second. T Goodwin grounded out to shortstop. Mclemore
lined out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
MINNESOTA 6TH: M Cordova grounded out to third. Coomer grounded out to third. Mientkiewicz
struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
TEXAS 7TH: Greer flied out to deep right. J Gonzalez flied out to right. R Palmeiro
grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
MINNESOTA 7TH: Steinbach flied out to right. Latham struck out looking. C Guzman struck
out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
TEXAS 8TH: I Rodriguez fouled out to right. L Stevens walked. Alicea struck out looking. L
Stevens to second on Wells wild pitch. Clayton flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0
Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
MINNESOTA 8TH: Mike Venafro relieved Mike Morgan. T Walker flied out to left. T Hunter
reached on infield single. Lawton grounded into double play, third to second to first, T
Hunter out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.
TEXAS 9TH: Rick Aguilera relieved Bob Wells. T Goodwin grounded out to shortstop. Mclemore
flied out to center. Greer grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7,
MINNESOTA 2.
MINNESOTA 9TH: Jeff Zimmerman relieved Mike Venafro. M Cordova grounded out to second.
Coomer flied out to left. Mientkiewicz doubled to right. Steinbach fouled out to catcher.
(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 2.