Game 52: June 2, 1999 (W: 7-4)
[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
[ Schedule Menu | Main Page ]

Commentary (by me)

I didn't get a chance to listen to the entire game as I was busy with work issues.   It was a nice win, and started out like the last two, with nothing getting going until the fifth inning.   Gregg Zaun played with poison oak, and was ordered not to shake hands with anyone.  :)

Gregg did come through with a nice game.  What I heard sounded really good.   Unfortunately, as I'm in the middle of work, I won't be able to say much.

We swept three straight series (DRays/Twins/Royals).   That's 9 in a row.  That's the record for any team all year so far, it's now second longest in the Rangers history (record is 14 in 1991).   We're on a roll.    Tim Crabree lost his consecutive appeareances with no runs scored, as he gave up two.  He's still pitching damn well this year.    We did use the big bang theory to win this game, with a 6 spot in the 5th inning.

Next up is the Big Unit on Friday in Arizona.  We've shown we can hit him in the past, let's see what happens now.

Commentary (by Jim Meeks)

Bases on balls will kill you. It's an old story and man, is it ever true.

Kevin Appier, long the nemesis of the Rangers, knew it was true - and learned again the painful reality of four balls to a batter.

The Rangers, a virtual punchless team offensively until an opponent makes a mistake these days, were able to pounce on Appier's 3 bases on balls on Wednesday, in a 6 run, 5th inning.

Until the walks, Appier had shut down the Rangers and held a 1-0 lead. But as of late - and the Rangers ride a nine game win streak - the Rangers have capitalized on every mistake made by the opposition. In the Devil Rays, The Twins and the Royals, they have found a mountain of miscues to catapult them to victory.

Two nights in a row during this streak, it was the wild pitch they used.

Another time, it was an error.

Many of the games were decided by a terrible bullpen blowing a starter's lead in the late innings.

And Wednesday, it was the base on balls.

Game Recap

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) -- Rafael Palmeiro drove in three runs and had a key two-run double in a six-run fifth inning as the Texas Rangers extended their winning streak to a season-high nine games with a 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Aaron Sele (5-4) allowed just two runs and seven hits over seven innings to win for the second straight start after a three-game skid. He stuck out four and walked one in outdueling Kansas City ace Kevin Appier (6-3).

"I felt a little better today. I was erratic early and I got a couple of breaking pitches up early," Sele said. "After we scored my job was just to hold them. This team scored a lot of runs. Some days we get them in the second and sometimes in the ninth. As long as we keep the game close."

"I thought that Aaron threw the ball very well," Rangers manager John Oates said. "He kept his pitches down and he spotted his fastball and curveball well."

Juan Gonzalez and Jon Shave each drove in runs for the Rangers, who are on their longest winning streak since a franchise-record 14-game run from May 12-27, 1991.

"It all starts with starting pitching," Oates added. "To put a streak together you have to have quality pitching. But there are a lot of reasons for the streak. Guys who don't have a lot of innings are playing well and our defense has been good."

Texas owns the season's longest winning streak. The Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays both reeled off eight straight victories earlier this season.

Appier, who had his four-game winning streak halted, allowed just two earned runs but walked a season-high six as the Rangers reached him for six runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings.

"He was sharp early," Kansas City manager Tony Muser said. "He missed a lot with the slider. He's been a lot sharper in the past. Our starters have been great all year. It has been the bullpen that has had the problem."

Shave led off Texas' half of the fifth by reaching on shortstop Rey Sanchez's throwing error and Mark McLemore and Rusty Greer drew walks to load the bases. Gonzalez's infield single plated one run and Palmeiro followed by lining a shot down the right-field line to score McLemore and Greer and give the Rangers a 3-2 advantage

Gonzalez was erased at home on a grounder by Todd Zeile before Lee Stevens walked. Gregg Zaun hit a grounder toward the right side that first baseman Scott Leius booted, allowing Palmeiro and Zeile to scamper home. Shave followed with a single to left to make it 6-2.

"Overall, we are not going to have a lot of offense," Muser said. "You can walk people and you can not catch the ball. When you do both of those in one inning it can lose the game for you."

Palmeiro belted his 15th homer in the seventh before Kansas City fought back in the eighth as Jermaine Dye delivered a sacrifice fly and Joe Randa a run-scoring single. But Leius grounded into a double play to end the inning and John Wetteland set down the side in order in the ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances.

Steve Scarsone and Tim Spehr each had two hits and an RBI for the Royals, who have lost five straight and 10 of their last 12.

Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez received a day off and did not get a chance to extend his career-high 20-game hitting streak. It is the longest streak in the American League his season and the third-longest in the majors.

Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image

Royals starter Kevin Appier	Raffy walks in the second	Juan is thrown out at home trying to score in the 5th	Lee Stevens scores in the 5th	Raffy watches his home run ball in the 7th

Ranger fans with their "sweep" brooms.  If I'm not mistaken these are the drum guys in Section 32.  One of them is nicknamed Zonk.	Kansas City Royals designated hitter Mike Sweeney (29) hugs Ryan Towns of Gonzalez, Texas.. Sweeney, who described Towns as his best friend, played minor league ball with Towns in the Royals minor league system.

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
KANSAS CITY         0  0  0   2  0  0   0  2  0     4 10  2
TEXAS               0  0  0   0  6  0   1  0  x     7  6  0   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  KAN - KEVIN APPIER, SCOTT SERVICE (5TH), ALVIN
                  MORMAN (7TH), ORBER MORENO (8TH) AND TIM SPEHR
            TEX - AARON SELE, TIM CRABTREE (8TH), JOHN WETTELAND
                  (9TH) AND GREGG ZAUN

             WP - AARON SELE (5-4)
             LP - KEVIN APPIER (6-3)
           SAVE - JOHN WETTELAND (18)

HOME RUNS:  KAN - NONE
            TEX - RAFAEL PALMEIRO (15) OFF MORMAN IN THE 7TH, 0 ON

     TIME:  2:44     ATT:  32,598

PROBABLES:  CIN - STEVE PARRIS (3-0, 4.33)
            KAN - JOSE ROSADO (3-4, 2.59)

            TEX - MARK CLARK (3-3, 6.68)
            ARI - RANDY JOHNSON (6-2, 2.88)



Box Score
KANSAS CITY (4) AT TEXAS (7) - FINAL

KANSAS CITY            ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Beltran cf              5  0  1  0   0  1   3  .285
R Sanchez ss            3  0  0  0   0  0   1  .260
Damon lf                3  1  2  0   1  0   0  .289
Sweeney dh              3  1  1  0   0  0   3  .315
Dye rf                  3  0  1  1   0  1   2  .298
Randa 3b                4  1  1  1   0  0   1  .249
Leius 1b                4  0  0  0   0  1   2  .213
Scarsone 2b             4  1  2  1   0  0   0  .191
Spehr c                 3  0  2  1   0  1   1  .265
 a-Pose ph              1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .306

Totals                 33  4 10  4   1  5  13

a-struck out for Spehr in the 9th.

BATTING: 2B - Spehr (2, Sele); Scarsone (2, Sele); Damon (12,
Crabtree); Sweeney (10, Crabtree). S - R Sanchez. SF - Dye. RBI
- Scarsone (4), Spehr (11), Dye (34), Randa (19). 2-out RBI -
Scarsone, Spehr. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Dye
1, Sweeney 1, Beltran 1, R Sanchez 1. GIDP - Leius.  Team LOB - 6.

BASERUNNING: SB - Randa (4, 2nd base off Sele/Zaun). CS - Damon
(3, 2nd base by Sele/Zaun).

FIELDING: E - R Sanchez (3, throw); Leius (2, ground ball). DP: 1
(R Sanchez-Scarsone-Leius).

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
T Goodwin cf            5  0  0  0   0  1   3  .236
Mclemore 2b             4  1  0  0   1  0   0  .314
Greer lf                2  1  0  0   2  0   0  .295
J Gonzalez rf           4  0  1  1   0  0   1  .313
R Palmeiro dh           2  2  2  3   2  0   0  .360
Zeile 3b                4  1  0  0   0  2   2  .265
L Stevens 1b            2  1  1  0   2  1   1  .320
Zaun c                  4  0  1  0   0  0   6  .233
Shave ss                4  1  1  1   0  1   2  .279

Totals                 31  7  6  5   7  5  15

BATTING: 2B - L Stevens (16, Appier); R Palmeiro (10, Appier).
HR - R Palmeiro (15, 7th inning off Morman 0 on, 0 out). RBI - J Gonzalez
(47), R Palmeiro 3 (43), Shave (5). 2-out RBI - Shave.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Shave 1, Zaun 2, T Goodwin 1.
GIDP - Zaun.  Team LOB - 7.

BASERUNNING: SB - Shave (1, 2nd base off Appier/Spehr).

FIELDING: DP: 1 (Mclemore-Shave-L Stevens).

KANSAS CITY                  ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Appier (L, 6-3)               4 2/3   5   6   2   6   3   0   4.03
Service                       1 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   6.31
Morman                        1       1   1   1   1   1   1   4.20
Moreno                        1       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Sele (W, 5-4)                 7       7   2   2   1   4   0   5.58
Crabtree                      1       3   2   2   0   0   0   3.15
Wetteland (S, 18)             1       0   0   0   0   1   0   3.57

HBP - Sweeney (by Sele).  Pitches-strikes: Sele 114-74; Crabtree
13-9; Wetteland 12-10; Appier 91-48; Service 15-11; Morman 16-7;
Moreno 9-7.  Ground balls-fly balls: Sele 11-5; Crabtree 2-1;
Wetteland 2-0; Appier 5-6; Service 2-2; Morman 2-0; Moreno 0-2.
Batters faced: Sele 29; Crabtree 5; Wetteland 3; Appier 27;
Service 4; Morman 4; Moreno 3.

UMPIRES: HP--Dale Scott. 1B--Joe Brinkman. 2B--Derryl Cousins.
3B--John Shulock.
T--2:44.  Att--32,598.   Weather: 89 degrees, sunny.   Wind: 16 mph,
out to left.

Game Log

Kansas City Starting Lineups -- Carlos Beltran CF, Rey Sanchez SS, Johnny Damon LF, Mike Sweeney DH, Jermaine Dye RF, Joe Randa 3B, Scott Leius 1B, Steve Scarsone 2B, Tim Spehr C, Kevin Appier RHP.

Texas Starting Lineups -- Tom Goodwin CF, Mark Mclemore 2B, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Gregg Zaun C, Jon Shave SS, Aaron Sele RHP.

Umpires -- Scott (HP), Brinkman (1B), Cousins (2B), Shulock (3B).

Gametime Weather: 89 degrees, Sunny, wind out to left at 16 mph.

KANSAS CITY 1ST: Beltran singled to left. R Sanchez sacrificed Beltran to second. Damon grounded out to second, Beltran to third. Sweeney hit by pitch. Dye grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Sweeney out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 0, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 1ST: T Goodwin grounded out to second. Mclemore popped out to shallow center. Greer walked. J Gonzalez flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 0, TEXAS 0.

KANSAS CITY 2ND: Randa flied out to right center. Leius grounded out to second. Scarsone grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 0, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 2ND: R Palmeiro walked. Zeile lined out to right center. L Stevens struck out swinging. Zaun singled to left center, R Palmeiro to second. Shave grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 0, TEXAS 0.

KANSAS CITY 3RD: Spehr singled to right. Beltran popped out to shallow center. R Sanchez grounded out to second, Spehr to second. Damon walked. Sweeney grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Damon out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 0, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 3RD: T Goodwin struck out looking. Mclemore grounded out to first. Greer lined out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 0, TEXAS 0.

KANSAS CITY 4TH: Dye singled to left. Randa grounded into fielder's choice to second, Dye out at second. Randa stole second. Leius grounded out to third. Scarsone singled to shallow center, Randa scored. Scarsone to second advancing on throw. Spehr doubled to left, Scarsone scored. Beltran struck out swinging. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 4TH: J Gonzalez flied out to center. R Palmeiro walked. Zeile struck out looking. L Stevens doubled to right, R Palmeiro to third. Zaun grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 0.

KANSAS CITY 5TH: R Sanchez flied out to left. Damon singled to right. Sweeney flied out to left. Damon caught stealing, catcher to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 5TH: Shave safe at first on shortstop R Sanchez's throwing error. T Goodwin flied out to center. Shave stole second. Mclemore walked. Greer walked, Shave to third, Mclemore to second. J Gonzalez reached on infield single, Shave scored, Mclemore to third, Greer to second. R Palmeiro doubled to right, Mclemore and Greer scored, J Gonzalez to third. Zeile grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, R Palmeiro to third, J Gonzalez out at home. L Stevens walked, Zeile to second. Zaun safe at first on 1st baseman Leius' fielding error, R Palmeiro and Zeile scored, L Stevens to second. Shave singled to left, L Stevens scored, Zaun to second. Scott Service relieved Kevin Appier. T Goodwin lined out to second. (6 Runs, 3 Hits, 2 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 6.

KANSAS CITY 6TH: Dye struck out swinging. Randa grounded out to first. Leius struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 6.

TEXAS 6TH: Mclemore grounded out to second. Greer grounded out to shortstop. J Gonzalez flied out to deep left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 6.

KANSAS CITY 7TH: Scarsone doubled to left center. Spehr struck out swinging. Beltran flied out to left. R Sanchez grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 6.

TEXAS 7TH: Alvin Morman relieved Scott Service. R Palmeiro homered to right. Zeile struck out looking. L Stevens walked. Zaun grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, L Stevens out at second. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 2, TEXAS 7.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: Tim Crabtree relieved Aaron Sele. Damon doubled to right. Sweeney doubled to deep right, Damon to third. Dye hit sacrifice fly to right, Damon scored, Sweeney to third. Randa singled to left, Sweeney scored. Leius grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Randa out at second. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 4, TEXAS 7.

TEXAS 8TH: Orber Moreno relieved Alvin Morman. Shave struck out looking. T Goodwin flied out to center. Mclemore popped out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 4, TEXAS 7.

KANSAS CITY 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Tim Crabtree. Scarsone grounded out to pitcher. Pose hit for Spehr. Pose struck out swinging. Beltran grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) KANSAS CITY 4, TEXAS 7.