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124: Aug 21, 1999 (W: 9-2)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
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Game
124: Aug 21, 1999 (W: 9-2)
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My
Commentary
I didn't get to see all of this game, as my wife and I were out
to dinner to celebrate my birthday yesterday. Would have gone yesterday,
but hey, I was at the Ranger game! :) Anyway, it was a
sellout, and it was nice to see the place packed for a change. It was John
Wetteland's birthday, and TV coverage showed the bullpen guys giving him a hard
time - I wish I was home earlier to see that - it looked funny.
When we got home from dinner in the third inning, Raffy was just coming up and hit his home run to put us up 3-1, which is all we really needed, but we did get some "padding". :) Rusty started off the fifth with a solo home run to left field. In the 7th, we really put it away when Raffy mashed a three run home run to right, giving him two home runs in each of the last two games, and 6 home runs in his last 6 games overall. Just to make sure, Rusty chimed in again with a two run shot in the bottom of the 8th to give us nine runs.
Our pitching seemed pretty decent, if not overpowering. Rick Helling finally got a win <g>, and seemed to be battling all night. He didn't seem dominating at all, but still pitched good. He walked the first batter in the 7th, which brought in Tim Crabtree, who loaded the bases. With no one out and the bases loaded, Venafro came in, and got a sac fly, and then retired the rest allowing Boston only one run.
Overall another good game, and it was nice to see a sellout at the Ballpark - although I'm glad I didn't have to drive away from the park in it, either. :)
-- Joe Siegler
Game Recap
ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Rafael Palmeiro's power surge is nearing record proportions.
Palmeiro and Rusty Greer both homered twice to help Rick Helling win his fourth straight decision as the Texas Rangers clobbered the Boston Red Sox, 9-2, for their sixth victory in seven games.
Palmeiro has six home runs in as many games and 11 this month, one short of Juan Gonzalez's club record for August. He is only 10-for-40 over his last 11 games, but seven of those hits were home runs.
Palmeiro's solo shot off starter Brian Rose (6-5) extended Texas' lead to 3-1 in the third inning. He added a three-run blast in the seventh off reliever Rheal Cormier that stretched the margin to 7-2. It was the 350th of his career, a milestone that caught Palmeiro by surprise.
"I had no idea. I knew I was getting close, but with the excitement of the game and of hitting a home run late, I kind of lost track," he said. "John Burkett came in and told me.
"I thought it came in a key situation, which made it better. I still haven't reached my goal. I don't want to say what my goal is because I don't want to jinx myself."
Greer homered leading off the fifth against Rose, then capped the scoring with a two-run shot in the eighth off Bryce Florie.
"Two home runs is nice, but the big difference tonight was Rafael Palmeiro's three-run homer," Greer said. "When you combine Raffy and Juan (Gonzalez) and Pudge (Ivan Rodriguez), it makes it possible for others to have a night like this every now and then."
Helling (10-7) improved to 4-0 in 11 starts since losing at Boston on June 21, allowing two runs and six hits in six-plus innings with three walks and three strikeouts. The Rangers are averaging more than seven runs per game during his unbeaten streak and have 24 homers in the last nine contests.
"The results look pretty good. Stuff-wise, I didn't feel great. But stuff isn't always the key," Helling said. "I said all year my job as a starter is to keep the team in the game so we have a chance to win. When I needed to, I was able to bear down and make the pitches I needed. I was able to pitch six strong innings."
Rose lasted four-plus innings after surrendering four runs and six hits with three walks. Jose Offerman and Nomar Garciaparra had three hits apiece for the Red Sox, who have dropped three
straight and fell into a tie with Oakland for the American League wild card race.
"They have so many good hitters, I just fell behind," said Rose, who is 0-3 in his last six starts. "There's not one point where I gave up. I'm going to give up my share of runs. I felt good today, I just missed a couple of locations. It was my job to go out and put up zeros. Unfortunately, I didn't do that."
Boston jumped on top quickly as Offerman led off the game with his league-leading 10th triple and scored on Darren Lewis' groundout.
But Texas scored just as quickly in the bottom half. Mark McLemore led off with a single, stole second and came in with the tying run on Rodriguez's double. One out later, Gonzalez doubled in the go-ahead run.
Palmeiro homered in the third and Greer led off the fifth with a home run to make it 4-1.
The Red Sox threatened in the seventh. Helling was gone after issuing a leadoff walk to Trot Nixon. Tim Crabtree surrendered singles to Offerman and Lewis, loading the bases. Mike Venafro came on and got Mike Stanley to lift a sacrifice fly before Jeff Zmimerman retired Garciaparra and Troy O'Leary.
"After the first couple of guys got hits off Crabtree, Venafro got a big out off Stanley," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "Zimmerman made a good pitch against Garciaparra. He got the ball in on him, got him to pop it up. That was a good job with the bases loaded. They only got one run in with the middle of the order up."
Texas put it out of reach in the bottom of the seventh. Greer reached on Stanley's error at first base and Gonzalez singled before Palmeiro hit his milestone homer.
Recap #2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Against the Boston Red Sox, the surging Texas Rangers used the same formula that's worked for them all year.
"We kept the game close long enough for the offense to do its thing," said Rangers starter Rick Helling (10-7).
Rafael Palmeiro's three-run homer in the seventh and Rusty Greer's two-run shot in the eighth _ the second homer of the night for both -- led Texas to a 9-2 victory Saturday night over the Red Sox.
"We're just going to keep playing the schedule," Boston manager Jimy Williams said. "They've got good players."
The Rangers have won six of seven to move 24 games over .500, the first time they've done that since a club-record 26 above .500 at the end of 1977 (94-68).
Palmeiro and Greer hit solo shots to help the Rangers to a 4-1 lead.
Helling (10-7) held Boston to one run and six hits in six-plus innings. Nomar Garciaparra, the AL's leading hitter, had half the hits, going 3-for-4 with a double.
"It's funny how this game works. The results looked pretty good, but stuff-wise, I didn't feel that great," Helling said.
The Red Sox got to Helling for two doubles and a triple.
Tim Crabtree came in after Helling's leadoff walk to Trot Nixon in the seventh, and the Red Sox loaded the bases on singles by Jose Offerman and Darren Lewis.
After left-hander Mike Venafro gave up a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Mike Stanley, All-Star reliever Jeff Zimmerman got Garciaparra on a popup and Troy O'Leary on a fly to shallow left field.
"To have the bases loaded with their 3-4-5 hitters coming up, and to get out of it with just one run, that has to be pretty good," Texas manager Johnny Oates said.
"Overall, we have to be very pleased with our bullpen this year. The numbers say they match up with anyone in the league."
In the Texas seventh, reliever Rheal Cormier fumbled Rusty Greer's grounder and Stanley then dropped the throw at first. Juan Gonzalez singled and Palmeiro followed with his 36th homer to make it 7-2.
An inning later, Greer followed with a two-run homer.
"It's the nature of the game to have stretches where we play some good baseball and bad baseball. Right now, we're swinging the bats pretty well," Greer said.
Palmeiro has six homers in his last six games, 11 in August and 350 for his career, passing Albert Belle for 54th on the career list.
Five of Texas' six hits off Red Sox starter Brian Rose (6-5) were for extra bases _ two homers and three doubles. Greer's leadoff homer in the fifth padded the Rangers' lead to 4-1 and chased Rose.
Offerman led off the first with a triple and scored on Lewis' groundout, but the Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half on RBI doubles by Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez.
Palmeiro's solo homer in the third inning put Texas up 3-1.
Greer's second homer of the game was a two-run shot in the eighth off Bryce Florie. He has 15 homers this season.
GAME NOTES: It was the fifth straight start that Rose has failed to last more than four innings. ... Offerman's first-inning triple was his 10th of the year, most in the AL. ... Helling made his AL-high 27th start of the season. ... Boston third baseman Donnie Sadler was shaken during a collision with catcher Jason Varitek on Lee Stevens' pop foul to Varitek for the final out of the fifth inning. In the sixth, Sadler was in the on-deck circle when Reggie Jefferson pinch-hit for him with two out and runners on first and second. ... Rangers center fielder Tom Goodwin made a fine catch in the second, crashing into the wall to grab a 400-foot drive by
Varitek.
Photos
(Click on any of them for
a larger image)
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| Tom Goodwin makes a spectacular catch to rob Jason Varitek of a home run | Royce Clayton makes it to second to avoid being doubled off |
Line Score
AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
BOSTON 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 9 1
TEXAS 2 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 x 9 12 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: BOS - BRIAN ROSE, JOHN WASDIN (5TH), RHEAL CORMIER
(7TH), BRYCE FLORIE (8TH) AND JASON VARITEK,
SCOTT HATTEBERG (8TH)
TEX - RICK HELLING, TIM CRABTREE (7TH), MIKE VENAFRO
(7TH), JEFF ZIMMERMAN (7TH), MIKE MUNOZ (9TH)
AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
WP - RICK HELLING (10-7)
LP - BRIAN ROSE (6-5)
SAVE - NONE
HOME RUNS: BOS - NONE
TEX - RAFAEL PALMEIRO (35) OFF ROSE IN THE 3RD, 0 ON
RUSTY GREER (14) OFF ROSE IN THE 5TH, 0 ON
RAFAEL PALMEIRO (36) OFF R CORMIER IN THE 7TH, 2 ON
RUSTY GREER (15) OFF FLORIE IN THE 8TH, 1 ON
TIME: 3:00 ATT: 45,641
PROBABLES: BOS - TIM WAKEFIELD (4-8, 5.16)
TEX - AARON SELE (13-7, 5.21)
Box Score
BOSTON (2) AT TEXAS (9) - FINAL
BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
Offerman 2b 5 1 3 0 0 0 0 .290
D Lewis cf 4 0 1 1 1 0 2 .262
Daubach 1b 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .329
b-Stanley ph-1b 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 .266
N Garciaparra ss 4 0 3 0 0 0 2 .363
Oleary lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 .282
B Huskey dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296
Varitek c 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .260
Hatteberg c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .148
Sadler 3b 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 .257
a-Jefferson ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .296
John Valentin 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254
T Nixon rf 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 .268
Totals 34 2 9 2 3 3 18
a-flied to right for Sadler in the 6th; b-hit sacrifice fly to
left for Daubach in the 7th.
BATTING: 2B - T Nixon (18, Helling); N Garciaparra (36, Helling).
3B - Offerman (10, Helling). SF - Stanley. RBI - D Lewis (30),
Stanley (52). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Daubach 1,
Sadler 1, Jefferson 1, Oleary 1. GIDP - D Lewis. Team LOB - 9.
FIELDING: E - Stanley (9, catch). PB - Hatteberg.
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
Mclemore 2b 5 1 2 0 0 0 3 .278
I Rodriguez c 5 2 2 1 0 0 4 .329
Greer lf 5 3 2 3 0 0 0 .293
J Gonzalez rf 5 1 2 1 0 1 0 .315
R Palmeiro dh 4 2 3 4 0 0 0 .338
Zeile 3b 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 .301
L Stevens 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .279
Clayton ss 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .264
T Goodwin cf 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 .242
Totals 37 9 12 9 3 2 11
BATTING: 2B - I Rodriguez (22, Rose); J Gonzalez (25, Rose);
Clayton (13, Rose). HR - R Palmeiro 2 (36, 3rd inning off Rose
0 on, 2 out, 7th inning off R Cormier 2 on, 0 out); Greer 2
(15, 5th inning off Rose 0 on, 0 out, 8th inning off Florie 1 on,
2 out). RBI - I Rodriguez (86), J Gonzalez (101), R Palmeiro 4 (115),
Greer 3 (78). 2-out RBI - R Palmeiro, Greer 2. Runners left in
scoring position, 2 out - L Stevens 1, I Rodriguez 3. Team LOB - 7.
BASERUNNING: SB - Mclemore 2 (12, 2nd base off Rose/Varitek, 2nd base
off J Wasdin/Varitek).
FIELDING: DP: 1 (Zeile-Mclemore-L Stevens).
BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
Rose (L, 6-5) 4 6 4 4 3 0 2 4.98
J Wasdin 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 4.79
R Cormier 1 2 3 2 0 0 1 4.03
Florie 1 2 2 2 0 0 1 4.45
TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era
Helling (W, 10-7) 6 6 2 2 3 3 0 4.31
Crabtree (H, 13) 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2.96
Venafro (H, 15) 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.60
Je Zimmerman (H, 21) 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.22
M Munoz 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3.57
Rose pitched to 1 batter in the 5th.
Helling pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.
Crabtree pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.
WP - Florie. Pitches-strikes: Helling 108-57; Crabtree 11-8;
Venafro 3-2; Je Zimmerman 16-10; M Munoz 8-5; Rose 78-43;
J Wasdin 32-21; R Cormier 15-10; Florie 13-8. Ground balls-
fly balls: Helling 5-10; Crabtree 0-0; Venafro 0-1; Je Zimmerman
0-5; M Munoz 2-1; Rose 3-9; J Wasdin 1-3; R Cormier 2-1; Florie
0-3. Batters faced: Helling 27; Crabtree 2; Venafro 1;
Je Zimmerman 5; M Munoz 3; Rose 21; J Wasdin 8; R Cormier 6;
Florie 5.
UMPIRES: HP--Tim Mcclelland. 1B--Eric Cooper. 2B--Dan Iassogna.
3B--Joe Brinkman.
T--3:00. Att--45,641. Weather: 94 degrees, clear. Wind: 8 mph,
left to right.
Boston Starting Lineups -- Jose Offerman 2B, Darren Lewis CF, Brian Daubach 1B, Nomar Garciaparra SS, Troy Oleary LF, Butch Huskey DH, Jason Varitek C, Donnie Sadler 3B, Trot Nixon RF, Brian Rose RHP.
Texas Starting Lineups -- Mark Mclemore 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Royce Clayton SS, Tom Goodwin CF, Rick Helling RHP.
Umpires -- T Mcclelland (HP), Cooper (1B), Iassogna (2B), Brinkman (3B).
Gametime Weather: 94 degrees, Clear, wind left to right at 8 mph.
BOSTON 1ST: Offerman tripled to right center. D Lewis grounded out to shortstop, Offerman scored. Daubach popped out to shallow left. N Garciaparra singled to right center. Oleary grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, N Garciaparra out at second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 0.
TEXAS 1ST: Mclemore singled to left. Mclemore stole second. I Rodriguez doubled to deep left center, Mclemore scored. Greer grounded out to first, I Rodriguez to third. J Gonzalez doubled to left center, I Rodriguez scored. R Palmeiro flied out to deep right, J Gonzalez to third. Zeile walked. L Stevens popped out to second. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 2.
BOSTON 2ND: B Huskey struck out looking. Varitek flied out to deep center. Sadler struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 2.
TEXAS 2ND: Clayton walked. T Goodwin grounded out to second, Clayton to second. Mclemore flied out to left. I Rodriguez lined out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 2.
BOSTON 3RD: T Nixon doubled to right center. Offerman grounded out to second, T Nixon to third. D Lewis grounded out to shortstop. Daubach struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 2.
TEXAS 3RD: Greer flied out to right center. J Gonzalez grounded out to second. R Palmeiro homered to right. Zeile popped out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 3.
BOSTON 4TH: N Garciaparra doubled to left. Oleary flied out to left. B Huskey flied out to right. Varitek walked. Sadler flied out to shallow right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 3.
TEXAS 4TH: L Stevens fouled out to third. Clayton doubled to left. T Goodwin walked. Mclemore flied out to left. I Rodriguez lined out to right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 3.
BOSTON 5TH: T Nixon grounded out to second. Offerman flied out to left. D Lewis walked. Daubach popped out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 3.
TEXAS 5TH: Greer homered to left. John Wasdin relieved Brian Rose. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. R Palmeiro singled to right. Zeile popped out to shallow left. L Stevens fouled out to catcher. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 4.
BOSTON 6TH: N Garciaparra singled to left. Oleary flied out to right. B Huskey popped out to shallow right. Varitek singled to right, N Garciaparra to second. Jefferson hit for Sadler. Jefferson flied out to deep right. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 4.
TEXAS 6TH: John Valentin at third. Clayton flied out to center. T Goodwin struck out swinging. Mclemore reached on infield single. Mclemore stole second. I Rodriguez grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BOSTON 1, TEXAS 4.
BOSTON 7TH: T Nixon walked. Tim Crabtree relieved Rick Helling. Offerman singled to left, T Nixon to second. D Lewis singled to shallow center, T Nixon to third, Offerman to second. Mike Venafro relieved Tim Crabtree. Stanley hit for Daubach. Stanley hit sacrifice fly to left, T Nixon scored, Offerman to third. Jeff Zimmerman relieved Mike Venafro. N Garciaparra popped out to shallow right. Oleary flied out to shallow left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 2, TEXAS 4.
TEXAS 7TH: Rheal Cormier relieved John Wasdin. Stanley at first. Greer safe at first on 1st baseman Stanley's fielding error. J Gonzalez singled to left, Greer to second. R Palmeiro homered to right, Greer and J Gonzalez scored. Zeile flied out to left. L Stevens grounded out to pitcher. Clayton grounded out to first. (3 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Error) BOSTON 2, TEXAS 7.
BOSTON 8TH: B Huskey flied out to deep center. Varitek fouled out to catcher. John Valentin flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 2, TEXAS 7.
TEXAS 8TH: Hatteberg catching. Bryce Florie relieved Rheal Cormier. T Goodwin lined out to second. Mclemore flied out to deep right center. I Rodriguez singled to center. I Rodriguez to second on Hatteberg passed ball. I Rodriguez to third on Florie wild pitch. Greer homered to right, I Rodriguez scored. J Gonzalez lined out to third. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) BOSTON 2, TEXAS 9.
BOSTON 9TH: Mike Munoz relieved Jeff Zimmerman. T Nixon flied out to center. Offerman singled to left. D Lewis grounded into double play, third to second to first, Offerman out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) BOSTON 2, TEXAS 9.