Game 145: Sep 13, 1999 (W: 8-4)
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My Commentary

Well, we won.  However, it wasn't the prettiest of games for many reasons.   We lost a few players for a few days with injuries.  Rusty Greer got hit in the eye with a ball during warmups, and is out for a few.  Luis Alicea sprained a muscle during the game, and is out for awhile.  Jeff Zimmerman also came out of the game early with muscle tightness.

Add to that the fact that we let the Royals get back in it to send the game to extra innings isn't good.  Add to that the fact that the 10th was given to us on a silver platter by KC (errors, wild pitches all over the place), and leads me to believe that we shouldn't have won this game either.

Don't get me wrong, I'll take the win, and I'm glad to get out of KC, but I don't think we deserved the win.  I'm hoping we can do better in Minnesota, and then have the team healthy on Friday when the DRays come to town.

-- Joe Siegler

Game Recap

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (TICKER) -- Roberto Kelly's RBI single sparked a four-run 10th inning and Ivan Rodriguez became the latest member of the Texas Rangers to reach a milestone in an 8-4 victory over the sloppy Kansas City Royals.

Texas took advantage of two errors and two wild pitches in the 10th to salvage the finale of the four-game series.

With one out, Juan Gonzalez hit a grounder to third baseman Joe Randa, whose throw pulled first baseman Mike Sweeney off the bag for an error. Singles by Todd Zeile and Kelly broke a 4-4 tie and chased reliever Jose Santiago (2-4).

Alvin Morman came on and got Lee Stevens to hit a sharp grounder to first that glanced off Sweeney's glove for another error. Brad Rigby relieved and threw a wild pitch that scored Kelly for a 7-4 lead. After Royce Clayton bounced out, Tom Goodwin delivered an RBI single.

"When you make physical errors, it doesn't help you," said Royals manager Tony Muser, who watched the 10th from the locker room after he was ejected in the ninth for arguing a balk call. "It just goes to show there is not a routine play in baseball. You can't take anything for granted."

John Wetteland (4-4), the fourth Rangers' pitcher, allowed three hits and struck out two over two innings for his first win since July 16.

"I hate bringing John into a tie game on the road," Texas manager Johnny Oates said. "He has to throw two innings for us to bat."

"When they say you're in the game, you go into the game," Wetteland added. "The point is to get into the World Series."

Texas remained 5 1/2 games ahead of second-place Oakland in the American League West with 17 games remaining.

"I didn't sleep much tonight," Oates said. "I tossed and turned and channel surfed a lot."

Rodriguez doubled in a run in the top of the first inning to become the eighth catcher in major league history with 100 RBI and 100 runs scored in the same season. Mike Piazza was the last in 1997.

"It means a lot to everyone to get 100 RBI in a year. It feels so happy to do it today," said Rodriguez, who also smacked a two-run homer, his 33rd, and has a 10-game hitting streak.

Both teams scored in the first and Texas regained the lead in the fourth on Kelly's sacrifice fly. Rodriguez's blast off starter Jose Rosado made it 4-1 in the fifth.

"He battled," Muser said of Rosado, who gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings. "He's got a lot of starts under his belt. I think at this point of the season it takes a little bit of time to get into a rhythm. He pitched competitive baseball. He kept us in the game."

The Royals got back a run in the bottom of the fifth against John Burkett, who surrendered an RBI groundout to Rey Sanchez.

Burkett exited in the seventh with runners at second and third and one out. Mike Venafro relieved and retired Johnny Damon on an RBI groundout. Jeff Zimmerman surrendered a tying single to Sanchez.

Kansas City had a three-game winning streak stopped with only its second loss in seven contests.

Recap #2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- It was a perfect example of why coaches tell players to run out ground balls.

When Juan Gonzalez ran out his grounder to third with one out in the 10th inning Monday night, reaching safely on Joe Randa's throwing error, it ignited a barrage of four unearned runs for the Texas Rangers.

Roberto Kelly singled home Gonzalez with the go-ahead run, Kelly's second RBI of the night, and Texas went on to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4.

"You hope they do it all the time, but it's especially nice to see at that point in the game," said Texas manager Johnny Oates, whose team avoided being swept in four games by Kansas City for the first time since 1980. "At this level, it's not always done."

After Gonzalez reached on Randa's error, Todd Zeile singled off Jose Santiago (2-4) and Kelly followed with his RBI single.

Zeile scored when first baseman Mike Sweeney booted Lee Stevens' grounder for an error. Kelly came home on Brad Rigby's wild pitch and one out later, Tom Goodwin added an RBI single to make it 8-4.

"It just goes to show there really is not a routine play in baseball," said Royals manager Tony Muser, who was ejected in the top of the ninth for arguing a balk call. "You can't take anything for granted."

John Wetteland (4-4) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory, which kept Texas 5½ games ahead of Oakland in the AL West. 

"I can't answer how important this game is. I just know it's very big," Oates said. "This might be the biggest game of the year for us, when we look back on it at the end of the year."

Ivan Rodriguez went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and drove in three runs for Texas. With 104 runs scored and 102 RBIs, he became the eighth catcher in history with 100 runs and 100 RBIs in a season.

"I'm an aggressive guy. I'm aggressive out there on the bases," Rodriguez said. "I'm not done yet this year, either."

Rodriguez put the Rangers ahead 1-0 with an RBI double in the first inning, then added a two-run shot to center field in the fifth off Jose Rosado for a 4-1 lead.

Rosado gave up four runs on eight hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out six. Texas starter John Burkett pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

After Rey Sanchez's RBI groundout made it 4-2 in the fifth, the Royals tied the game in the seventh. Jeremy Giambi led off with a single and advanced to second on Sal Fasano's walk. After a sacrifice bunt, Johnny Damon hit an RBI groundout and Sanchez had an RBI single.

Kansas City's Jermaine Dye hit an RBI double in the bottom of the first to tie the score at 1, but the Rangers went up 2-1 on Kelly's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Gonzalez was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored for the Rangers. Dye was 2-for-5 with two doubles for Kansas City.

GAME NOTES: Texas outfielder Rusty Greer was hit in the left eye by a thrown ball during pregame warmups. An examination found no damage to the retina or optic nerve, but Greer returned home and is not expected to play again until this weekend. ... Rangers 2B Luis Alicea pulled his right calf muscle running out a sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning. He is expected to be out for several days. ... Texas is 6-2 in extra innings this season, including a 3-0 mark on the road. ... Sanchez has three RBIs since returning Saturday from a torn hamstring that had sidelined him since Aug. 25. ... It was Santiago's first appearance since June 19. He had been sidelined with a sore shoulder. 

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

Tom Goodwin high fives Pudge after Pudge's home run	Luis Alicea is helped off the field by Ray Ramirez & Pudge	Tim Sweeney takes a tumble

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -
TEXAS               1  0  0   1  2  0   0  0  0
KANSAS CITY         1  0  0   0  1  0   2  0  0

                   10                               R  H  E
                   --                               -  -  -
TEXAS               4                               8 11  0
KANSAS CITY         0                               4  9  2   (FINAL 10)

BATTERIES:  TEX - JOHN BURKETT, MIKE VENAFRO (7TH), JEFF
                  ZIMMERMAN (7TH), JOHN WETTELAND (9TH) AND IVAN
                  RODRIGUEZ
            KAN - JOSE ROSADO, SCOTT SERVICE (8TH), TIM BYRDAK
                  (9TH), JOSE SANTIAGO (9TH), ALVIN MORMAN
                  (10TH), BRAD RIGBY (10TH) AND SAL FASANO, CHAD
                  KREUTER (8TH)

             WP - JOHN WETTELAND (4-4)
             LP - JOSE SANTIAGO (2-4)
           SAVE - NONE

HOME RUNS:  TEX - IVAN RODRIGUEZ (33) OFF ROSADO IN THE 5TH, 1 ON
            KAN - NONE

     TIME:  3:31     ATT:  11,643

PROBABLES:  TEX - JEFF FASSERO (5-14, 7.46)
            MIN - JASON RYAN (0-2, 4.07)

            ANA - TIM BELCHER (6-8, 6.49) AND MIKE FYHRIE (0-4, 5.50)
            KAN - MAC SUZUKI (1-4, 7.77) AND GLENDON RUSCH (0-1, 15.75)

Box Score
TEXAS (8) AT KANSAS CITY (4) - FINAL IN 10 INNINGS

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Alicea 2b               2  1  1  0   0  0   0  .209
 Mclemore 2b            2  0  1  0   1  0   1  .280
I Rodriguez c           5  1  2  3   0  1   3  .328
R Palmeiro dh           4  0  0  0   1  1   1  .336
J Gonzalez rf           5  2  2  0   0  1   3  .311
Zeile 3b                5  1  1  0   0  1   2  .298
R Kelly lf              4  1  1  2   0  3   2  .315
L Stevens 1b            5  1  1  0   0  1   2  .284
Clayton ss              4  0  0  0   1  0   1  .274
T Goodwin cf            5  1  2  1   0  1   1  .243

Totals                 41  8 11  6   3  9  16

BATTING: 2B - Alicea (10, Rosado); I Rodriguez (26, Rosado);
J Gonzalez (29, Rosado); L Stevens (28, Rosado). HR - I Rodriguez
(33, 5th inning off Rosado 1 on, 1 out). S - Alicea. SF - R Kelly.
RBI - I Rodriguez 3 (102), R Kelly 2 (32), T Goodwin (23).
2-out RBI - T Goodwin. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out -
R Kelly 1, Clayton 1, I Rodriguez 1, Mclemore 1. Team LOB - 8.

BASERUNNING: SB - T Goodwin (32, 2nd base off Rigby/Kreuter).

FIELDING: DP: 1 (Clayton-L Stevens).

KANSAS CITY            ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Damon lf                5  0  1  1   0  0   1  .306
R Sanchez ss            4  1  1  2   1  0   1  .292
Beltran cf              4  0  1  0   1  0   1  .288
Dye rf                  5  0  2  1   0  1   3  .294
Sweeney 1b              4  0  1  0   1  1   1  .313
Randa 3b                5  0  0  0   0  0   3  .317
Je Giambi dh            4  1  1  0   0  1   0  .295
Fasano c                2  0  1  0   1  1   1  .286
 J Hansen pr            0  1  0  0   0  0   0  .216
 Kreuter c              1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .227
Holbert 2b              3  1  1  0   0  1   1  .284

Totals                 37  4  9  4   4  6  12

BATTING: 2B - Dye 2 (38, Burkett, Wetteland); Holbert (2, Burkett);
Damon (39, Wetteland). S - Holbert. RBI - Dye (102), R Sanchez 2 (50),
Damon (76). 2-out RBI - Dye, R Sanchez. Runners left in scoring
position, 2 out - Sweeney 1, Fasano 1, Dye 1, R Sanchez 1. GIDP -
Randa. Team LOB - 8.

FIELDING: E - Randa (18, throw); Sweeney (10, ground ball).

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Burkett                       6 1/3   5   4   4   3   2   0   5.80
Venafro (H, 18)                 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   3.36
Je Zimmerman (BS, 4)          1 1/3   1   0   0   1   2   0   1.96
Wetteland (W, 4-4)            2       3   0   0   0   2   0   3.69

KANSAS CITY                  ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Rosado                        7       8   4   4   1   6   1   3.86
Service                       1       0   0   0   0   2   0   5.63
Byrdak                          2/3   0   0   0   2   1   0   8.71
J Santiago (L, 2-4)             2/3   2   3   0   0   0   0   3.83
A Morman                      0       0   1   0   0   0   0   4.13
Rigby                           2/3   1   0   0   0   0   0   4.41

A Morman pitched to 1 batter in the 10th.

WP - Burkett 2, Rigby 2. BALK - Byrdak.  Pitches-strikes: Rosado
112-74; Service 11-8; Byrdak 17-6; J Santiago 20-12; A Morman
2-1; Rigby 10-5; Burkett 109-65; Venafro 3-2; Je Zimmerman
24-13; Wetteland 26-18.  Ground balls-fly balls: Rosado 6-9;
Service 0-1; Byrdak 0-1; J Santiago 1-1; A Morman 0-0; Rigby
2-0; Burkett 9-8; Venafro 1-0; Je Zimmerman 0-2; Wetteland 4-0.
Batters faced: Rosado 30; Service 3; Byrdak 4; J Santiago 5;
A Morman 1; Rigby 3; Burkett 27; Venafro 1; Je Zimmerman 6;
Wetteland 8.

UMPIRES: HP--John Shulock. 1B--Doug Eddings. 3B--Travis Katzenmeier.
EJECTIONS: KANSAS CITY Manager Muser by Shulock (9th).
T--3:31.  Att--11,643.   Weather: 68 degrees, clear.   Wind: 12 mph,
out to right.

AL       TEXAS AT KANSAS CITY
         NOTE:  TEXAS LEFT FIELDER RUSTY GREER HAS BEEN SCRATCHED FROM
                TONIGHT'S STARTING LINEUP AFTER BEING STRUCK NEAR THE
                LEFT EYE WITH A THROWN BALL IN BATTING PRACTICE.

AL       TEXAS AT KANSAS CITY
         NOTE:  TEXAS' IVAN RODRIGUEZ DOUBLED IN THE FIRST INNING TO
                EXTEND HIS HITTING STREAK TO 10 GAMES.

AL       TEXAS AT KANSAS CITY
         NOTE:  THE GAME IS BEING WORKED BY THREE UMPIRES. NO REASON HAS
                BEEN GIVEN FOR THE ABSENCE OF THE FOURTH UMPIRE.

AL       TEXAS AT KANSAS CITY
         NOTE:  TEXAS' LUIS ALICEA LEFT THE GAME IN THE FIFTH INNING WITH
                A PULLED RIGHT CALF MUSCLE.

AL       TEXAS AT KANSAS CITY
         NOTE:  KANSAS CITY MANAGER TONY MUSER WAS EJECTED BY HOME PLATE
                UMPIRE JOHN SHULOCK IN THE TOP OF THE NINTH INNING FOR
                ARGUING A BALK CALL AGAINST TIM BYRDAK.

Game Log

Texas Starting Lineups -- Luis Alicea 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Juan Gonzalez RF, Todd Zeile 3B, Roberto Kelly LF, Lee Stevens 1B, Royce Clayton SS, Tom Goodwin CF, John Burkett RHP.

Kansas City Starting Lineups -- Johnny Damon LF, Rey Sanchez SS, Carlos Beltran CF, Jermaine Dye RF, Mike Sweeney 1B, Joe Randa 3B, Jeremy Giambi DH, Sal Fasano C, Ray Holbert 2B, Jose Rosado LHP.

Umpires -- Shulock (HP), Eddings (1B), Katzenmeier (3B).

Gametime Weather: 68 degrees, Clear, wind out to right at 12 mph.

TEXAS 1ST: Alicea doubled to left. I Rodriguez doubled to right center, Alicea scored. R Palmeiro walked. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. Zeile flied out to deep right, I Rodriguez to third. R Kelly struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 1ST: Damon flied out to shallow center. R Sanchez walked. Beltran popped out to shortstop. Dye doubled to left center, R Sanchez scored. Sweeney grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 1.

TEXAS 2ND: L Stevens struck out swinging. Clayton lined out to left. T Goodwin grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 2ND: Randa grounded out to second. Je Giambi flied out to right. Fasano singled to left. Holbert flied out to right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 1.

TEXAS 3RD: Alicea grounded out to second. I Rodriguez grounded out to third. R Palmeiro struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 3RD: Damon grounded out to second. R Sanchez popped out to shallow right. Beltran singled to center. Dye fouled out to catcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, KANSAS CITY 1.

TEXAS 4TH: J Gonzalez doubled to left. Zeile flied out to center, J Gonzalez to third. R Kelly hit sacrifice fly to left, J Gonzalez scored. L Stevens doubled to right center. Clayton flied out to center. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 4TH: Sweeney walked. Randa grounded into fielder's choice to third, Sweeney out at second. Je Giambi grounded out to pitcher, Randa to second. Fasano struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, KANSAS CITY 1.

TEXAS 5TH: T Goodwin singled to shallow right center. Alicea sacrificed T Goodwin to second. I Rodriguez homered to center, T Goodwin scored. R Palmeiro flied out to deep left center. J Gonzalez singled to left. Zeile popped out to shallow center. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 5TH: Mclemore at second. Holbert doubled to left. Damon lined out to first. Holbert to third on Burkett wild pitch. R Sanchez grounded out to second, Holbert scored. Beltran flied out to right center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 2.

TEXAS 6TH: R Kelly struck out swinging. L Stevens grounded out to first. Clayton grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 2.

KANSAS CITY 6TH: Dye grounded out to shortstop. Sweeney struck out swinging. Randa grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 2.

TEXAS 7TH: T Goodwin popped out to first. Mclemore singled to center. I Rodriguez struck out swinging. R Palmeiro popped out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 2.

KANSAS CITY 7TH: Je Giambi singled to center. Je Giambi to second on Burkett wild pitch. Fasano walked. J Hansen ran for Fasano. Holbert sacrificed Je Giambi to third, J Hansen to second. Mike Venafro relieved John Burkett. Damon grounded out to second, Je Giambi scored, J Hansen to third. Jeff Zimmerman relieved Mike Venafro. R Sanchez singled to right, J Hansen scored. Beltran walked, R Sanchez to second. Dye struck out looking. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 8TH: Scott Service relieved Jose Rosado. Kreuter catching. J Gonzalez fouled out to first. Zeile struck out looking. R Kelly struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: Sweeney popped out to first. Randa flied out to center. Je Giambi struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 9TH: Tim Byrdak relieved Scott Service. L Stevens flied out to left. Clayton walked. Clayton to second on balk by Byrdak. Kansas City's Manager Muser ejected by Shulock. T Goodwin struck out swinging. Mclemore walked. Jose Santiago relieved Tim Byrdak. I Rodriguez flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Jeff Zimmerman. Kreuter struck out swinging. Holbert struck out looking. Damon doubled to right. R Sanchez grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 4, KANSAS CITY 4.

TEXAS 10TH: R Palmeiro grounded out to shortstop. J Gonzalez safe at first on 3rd baseman Randa's throwing error. Zeile singled to center, J Gonzalez to second. R Kelly singled to left, J Gonzalez scored, Zeile to second. Alvin Morman relieved Jose Santiago. L Stevens safe at first on 1st baseman Sweeney's fielding error, Zeile scored, R Kelly to third. Brad Rigby relieved Alvin Morman. R Kelly scored, L Stevens to second on Rigby wild pitch. Clayton grounded out to shortstop, L Stevens to third. T Goodwin singled to right, L Stevens scored. T Goodwin stole second. T Goodwin to third on Rigby wild pitch. Mclemore grounded out to second. (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 2 Errors) TEXAS 8, KANSAS CITY 4.

KANSAS CITY 10TH: Beltran grounded out to second. Dye doubled to left center. Sweeney singled to right, Dye to third. Randa grounded into double play, shortstop to first, Sweeney out at second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 8, KANSAS CITY 4.