Game 76: June 28, 1999 (W: 9-1)
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Commentary (by me)

I felt so bad for Mike Morgan.  One pitch away from a complete game shutout.   He was totally masterful all through the game.  It was the bottom of the ninth, two out, and two strikes.  He made his one mistake of the entire night.   Todd Greene screwed it up, and hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth.   However, Mike did get the complete game win.  It was the first such beast by any Ranger pitcher this year.  It was only the second complete game by a Ranger pitcher all year (the other was an 8 inning pitched complete game loss by Rick Helling).   It was Mike's first complete game in a couple of years, and if he had gotten the shutout, it would have been his first CG shutout in 6 years.   Still, he was absolutely dominating, getting his ninth win of the season.  This guy has turned out to be the steal of the offseason.  Can't believe he's been cast aside by so many teams.  I know his run support is part of it, but still, the fact that we have a 39 year old starting pitcher that is with his 11th team, and has 9 wins is still impressive to me.

I was out getting a haircut, and missed the top of the first inning, so when I got in the car to drive home, it was already 2-0.  I had missed Juan's home run, and the announcement that Dick Bosman broke his hip.  Now forgive me, but what exactly is Dick Bosman doing roller blading?  That seems like an activity that is far too young for him.  I know George Bush was skydiving for his 75th anniversary, but it just strikes me that rollerblading is not the best thing for Dick to be doing.   They said during the game that he's going to be out "indefinitely", and that Larry Hardy has taken over as the pitching coach, with Butch Wynegar being called up from AAA <g> to serve as bullpen coach.

Our offense teed off on Chuck Finley, whom we always seem to do good against.  We had three home runs again (Juan, Raffy, Royce), accounting for 6 of the 9 runs.  We were up quickly, which probably is what gave Mike Morgan what he needed to pitch the way he did.  I really want to sweep these guys, as we had such a problem gaining a lot of ground in Seattle, we'll need all three to pick up some room.   I'd love to have at least a 6 game lead over second place, and a 10 game lead over last place by the time the All-Star break comes around.

Commentary (by Jim Meeks)

Not available.

Game Recap

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) -- Mike Morgan came within one strike of his first shutout in almost six years and Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro and Royce Clayton homered off Anaheim Angels ace Chuck Finley to power the Texas Rangers to a 9-1 rout.

Morgan (9-5) carried a shutout into the ninth inning and retired the first two batters. He had an 0-2 count on Todd Greene before the designated hitter belted his 12th home run. Morgan, who scattered seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts, finished up for his first complete game since September 26, 1997 with Cincinnati.

"Todd Zeile, Royce Clayton and Roberto Kelly make it easy with their defense. You get runs like that, it's easy too," Morgan said. "The shutout would've been nice but the 'W' is the most important thing. I went out there in the ninth trying to get the shutout but it didn't work out."

"Morgan made it look easy, changing speeds and throwing strikes. When he gets a lead, he does what he did tonight," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "He's a survivor. He informed me last month that he wants to pitch next year. If he pitches like he did tonight, there's no reason he can't."

Morgan appeared headed toward his first shutout since July 15, 1993 with the Chicago Cubs. Morgan joined Rick Helling as the only Rangers' pitchers with complete games this season.

"I'll play next year wherever I am. I want to play in four decades," added Morgan, who broke into the majors with Oakland in 1978. "I'll worry about tomorrow when it comes but I want to win the division and the World Series first."

"Mike is a great leader. He has the enthusiasm of my five-year old," Zeile said. "The guys enjoy playing behind him. He makes the other guys put the ball in play so our infield and outfield are ready to go all the time. We've been struggling a little but this win helps."

Gonzalez staked the Rangers to a 2-0 lead in the opening inning, following Ivan Rodriguez's single with his team-leading 22nd home run.

"I've been seeing the ball better the last couple of days," said Gonzalez, who has homered in three straight games. "We're enjoying this season and we've had a lot of success here the last couple of years."

Texas extended its lead to 7-0 in the fourth. Gonzalez led off with a single and Zeile walked one out later. After Kelly walked, former Angel Lee Stevens ripped a single to center, scoring Gonzalez and Zeile. Clayton drilled Finley's 2-1 pitch over the right-center field wall his third home run.

Finley (4-8) matched a career high by allowing nine runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. He dropped to 8-17 lifetime against the Rangers, including 3-8 at home.

"My problem had nothing to do with three days rest. Mechanically, I'm in a bad funk," Finley said. "I just can't get the ball to go where I want it to. I've been working on it and working on it. It was just a whole lot of bad pitches. I know what's wrong. I can feel it but feeling it and fixing it are two different things."

Last-place Anaheim had a season-high four-game winning streak snapped, falling 7 1/2 games behind Texas in the American League West. The Angels have been outscored 34-4 in their last four home games against the Rangers.

"Morgan pitched great, that's pretty much the bottom line," Angels manager Terry Collins said. "Like all successful pitchers, he changed speeds, threw strikes and moved the ball around. He knows what he's doing after all these years."

Gonzalez stroked his second single of the game with one out in the fifth before Palmeiro clubbed a full-count fastball from Finley into the right-field seats for his 20th home run.

Gonzalez is 10-for-20 with three homers and eight RBI in his last four games.

The Angels have surrendered eight homers while hitting none in the first four games of their six-game homestand.

Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image)

I'm not quite sure how to caption this without making it sound like the two guys are gay or something.	Royce after his three run homer in the fourth	A really georgeous picture of Todd Zeile getting congratulated for scoring in the fourth	Chuck Finley heads to the dugout after giving up 9 runs	Mighty Lee swings and misses

Box Score

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

BATTERIES:  TEX - MIKE MORGAN AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
            ANA - CHUCK FINLEY, AL LEVINE (5TH) AND MATT
                  WALBECK, BRET HEMPHILL (8TH)

             WP - MIKE MORGAN (9-5)
             LP - CHUCK FINLEY (4-8)
           SAVE - NONE

HOME RUNS:  TEX - JUAN GONZALEZ (22) OFF C FINLEY IN THE 1ST, 1 ON
                  ROYCE CLAYTON (3) OFF C FINLEY IN THE 4TH, 2 ON
                  RAFAEL PALMEIRO (20) OFF C FINLEY IN THE 5TH, 1 ON
            ANA - TODD GREENE (12) OFF MORGAN IN THE 9TH, 0 ON

     TIME:  2:25     ATT:  20,539

PROBABLES:  TEX - JOHN BURKETT (1-3, 7.20)
            ANA - OMAR OLIVARES (6-5, 3.39)

Box Score
TEXAS (9) AT ANAHEIM (1) - FINAL

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Mclemore 2b             4  0  0  0   1  1   0  .278
I Rodriguez c           5  1  1  0   0  1   0  .313
Greer lf                5  0  0  0   0  0   2  .273
J Gonzalez rf           5  3  3  2   0  2   1  .313
 Sc Green cf            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
R Palmeiro dh           4  1  2  2   0  0   1  .348
Zeile 3b                3  1  1  0   1  0   1  .264
R Kelly cf-rf           3  1  0  0   1  0   1  .317
L Stevens 1b            3  1  1  2   1  1   1  .298
Clayton ss              4  1  1  3   0  1   1  .240

Totals                 36  9  9  9   4  6   8

BATTING: 2B - R Palmeiro (16, Levine). HR - J Gonzalez (22, 1st inning
off C Finley 1 on, 2 out); Clayton (3, 4th inning off C Finley 2 on,
1 out); R Palmeiro (20, 5th inning off C Finley 1 on, 1 out). RBI -
J Gonzalez 2 (67), L Stevens 2 (41), Clayton 3 (11), R Palmeiro 2 (66).
2-out RBI - J Gonzalez 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out -
Zeile 1, J Gonzalez 1. Team LOB - 4.

FIELDING: DP: 2 (Clayton-Mclemore-L Stevens, Morgan-Clayton-L Stevens).

ANAHEIM                ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Erstad lf               4  0  2  0   0  1   0  .254
Velarde 2b              3  0  2  0   0  0   0  .300
 Sheets 2b              1  0  0  0   0  0   1  .209
Vaughn 1b               3  0  0  0   0  1   3  .282
 Decker 1b              0  0  0  0   1  0   0  .241
G Anderson cf           3  0  0  0   0  0   0  .278
 R Williams cf          1  0  0  0   0  0   1  .179
T Greene dh             4  1  2  1   0  0   0  .257
Huson 3b                4  0  1  0   0  0   0  .261
Walbeck c               3  0  0  0   0  0   2  .244
 Hemphill c             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
O Palmeiro rf           3  0  0  0   0  0   0  .275
Disarcina ss            3  0  0  0   0  0   0  .188

Totals                 32  1  7  1   1  2   7

BATTING: HR - T Greene (12, 9th inning off Morgan 0 on, 2 out).
RBI - T Greene (30). 2-out RBI - T Greene. Runners left in scoring
position, 2 out - Walbeck 1, Vaughn 1. GIDP - Vaughn, R Williams.
Team LOB - 5.

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Morgan (W, 9-5)               9       7   1   1   1   2   1   5.18

ANAHEIM                      ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
C Finley (L, 4-8)             4 1/3   7   9   9   3   1   3   5.17
Levine                        4 2/3   2   0   0   1   5   0   3.41

Pitches-strikes: C Finley 96-55; Levine 65-38; Morgan 118-75.
Ground balls-fly balls: C Finley 5-7; Levine 4-5; Morgan 18-7.
Batters faced: C Finley 23; Levine 17; Morgan 33.

UMPIRES: HP--Mark Johnson. 1B--Rich Garcia. 2B--Mike Reilly.
3B--Dale Ford.
T--2:25.  Att--20,539.   Weather: 72 degrees, clear.   Wind: 4 mph,
left to right.

Game Log

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, Royce Clayton SS, Mike Morgan RHP.

Anaheim Starting Lineups -- Darin Erstad LF, Randy Velarde 2B, Mo Vaughn 1B, Garret Anderson CF, Todd Greene DH, Jeff Huson 3B, Matt Walbeck C, Orlando Palmeiro RF, Gary Disarcina SS, Chuck Finley LHP.

Umpires -- Johnson (HP), Garcia (1B), Reilly (2B), Ford (3B).

Gametime Weather: 72 degrees, Clear, wind left to right at 4 mph.

TEXAS 1ST: Mclemore flied out to left. I Rodriguez singled to center. Greer flied out to center. J Gonzalez homered to left, I Rodriguez scored. R Palmeiro grounded out to second. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 1ST: Erstad struck out swinging. Velarde grounded out to shortstop. Vaughn flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 2ND: Zeile flied out to deep left center. R Kelly grounded out to second. L Stevens walked. Clayton flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 2ND: G Anderson grounded out to second. T Greene singled to right. Huson grounded out to first, T Greene to second. Walbeck grounded into fielder's choice to third, T Greene out at third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 3RD: Mclemore grounded out to shortstop. I Rodriguez flied out to left. Greer grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 3RD: O Palmeiro grounded out to third. Disarcina flied out to right. Erstad singled to center. Velarde singled to left, Erstad to third. Vaughn struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 4TH: J Gonzalez singled to right center. R Palmeiro fouled out to third. Zeile walked, J Gonzalez to second. R Kelly walked, J Gonzalez to third, Zeile to second. L Stevens singled to center, J Gonzalez and Zeile scored, R Kelly to second. Clayton homered to right center, R Kelly and L Stevens scored. Mclemore struck out swinging. I Rodriguez grounded out to second. (5 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 4TH: G Anderson flied out to deep center. T Greene grounded out to shortstop. Huson singled to shallow left. Walbeck grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 7, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 5TH: Greer flied out to left. J Gonzalez singled to left. R Palmeiro homered to right, J Gonzalez scored. Al Levine relieved Chuck Finley. Zeile singled to left. R Kelly popped out to second. L Stevens struck out looking. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 5TH: O Palmeiro popped out to shallow right. Disarcina grounded out to third. Erstad flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 6TH: Clayton struck out swinging. Mclemore lined out to deep center. I Rodriguez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 6TH: Velarde singled to left. Vaughn grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Velarde out at second. G Anderson flied out to deep right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 7TH: Greer flied out to center. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. R Palmeiro doubled to left center. Zeile flied out to left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 7TH: T Greene grounded out to third. Huson grounded out to shortstop. Walbeck grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 8TH: Sheets at second. Decker at first. R Williams in center. Hemphill catching. R Kelly grounded out to shortstop. L Stevens grounded out to shortstop. Clayton grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 8TH: O Palmeiro grounded out to shortstop. Disarcina grounded out to shortstop. Erstad singled to right. Sheets grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

TEXAS 9TH: Mclemore walked. I Rodriguez grounded out to third, Mclemore to second. Greer flied out to deep right. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 0.

ANAHEIM 9TH: R Kelly in right. Sc Green in center. Decker walked. R Williams grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first, Decker out at second. T Greene homered to left. Huson flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 9, ANAHEIM 1.