Game 146: Sep 14, 1999 (W: 5-4)
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My Commentary

It was a thrilling win, if nothing else.  Yet again, we're letting a team that we should be crushing get into the game.   We were losing 1-0 after two, but we led until the bottom of the 7th, when the Twins went ahead 4-3.  We were down to our last out in the 9th inning when Tom Kelly tried to play percentages, and walked Pudge to get to Raffy.  That was a mistake, because Raffy made 'em pay for it with yet another game winning hit.  This one a double to right center, scoring Royce Clayton, who was already on base, and Pudge all the way from first.   It was a sweet win, but I don't think we should have put ourselves in a position where we had to win the game like that.

I admit to not knowing a bunch of the small details of this game, because for the first time all season, I got to see my hometown Philadelphia Phillies on TV!   I grew up in Philly, and have always been a Phillies fan, but down here, I don't get to see 'em.  They got shellacked, 12-2, but I had fun watching them, and I'd flip over to see what the Rangers were doing.  I only saw the last 3 innings of the Ranger game solid.

This win makes us 11-0 against the Twins in 1999.  If we win on Wednesday afternoon, it will be the first season sweep in forever (that I can remember) of an opponent.  I'm hoping we can get one big win, because after this, the "really bad" team stretch is over, and we've only played .500 against them.  Not good at all.

Magic number is down to 11.  My wife and I have four games left to go to at the Ballpark in the regular season.  Of the upcoming homestand, we see one game from each series, and I'm hoping that the Rangers can clinch it when we're there.  Would be nice.  Hey, it would be nice if we could clinch it with a win, instead of backing in like we have in 1996 and 1998.  :)

-- Joe Siegler

Game Recap

MINNEAPOLIS (TICKER) -- The Minnesota Twins gambled and lost.

Coming to the plate after an intentional walk, Rafael Palmeiro laced a two-out, two-run double in the top of the ninth inning as the Texas Rangers remained perfect against the Twins this season with a 5-4 victory.

Royce Clayton started the ninth with a walk against Hector Carrasco. Eddie Guardado (2-5) relieved and Tom Goodwin sacrificed before Mark McLemore flied out.

Guardado intentionally walked Ivan Rodriguez, a .328 batter, to face the lefthanded-hitting Palmeiro, who entered the game batting .336. Palmeiro made the move backfire as he laced a 1-0 pitch off the right-field wall to give the Rangers a 5-4 lead.

"I'm in that situation a lot where the game is on the line," Palmeiro said. "I've been fortunate that I have been able to come through for us. I don't take it personally. I know it's nothing against me, but I get really pumped up in those situations, and tonight I was able to come through for us.

"I have a different gear in those situations. For some reason, I block everything out and things just happen in slow motion. It seems real easy for me in those situations."

Minnesota manager Tom Kelly admitted pitching to Palmeiro was not the right thing to do.

"I made a mistake. I elected to pitch to one of the best hitters in the league, and it didn't work out," he said.

"You want to get shot, stabbed, you pick your poison with our lineup," Texas manager Johnny Oates said. "Those guys are all clutch hitters."

The Twins tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth against closer John Wetteland. Rookie Chad Allen doubled with one out and Midre Cummings fouled out to Wetteland, who caught the ball after it hit a speaker atop the Metrodome.

Wetteland closed the game by striking out rookie Jacque Jones for his major league-leading 42nd save in 49 chances.

The Rangers' rally made a winner out of rookie Danny Kolb (2-1), who allowed one hit while retiring one batter in the eighth.

Rodriguez made history when he belted his 34th homer in the third inning, tying Terry Steinbach's American League record for home runs by a catcher. Steinbach, currently with the Twins, established the mark with Oakland in 1996.

"It was a good feeling but I don't go out there looking for home runs," Rodriguez said.

Texas improved to 11-0 against the Twins this season and has won 12 straight in the series dating to last year.

The Rangers have won consecutive games following a three-game losing streak and increased their lead over Oakland in the AL West to 6 1/2 games.

Allen smacked a solo homer and added a run-scoring single for the Twins, who lost for the 11th time in 14 games.

After Palmeiro lofted a sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead, Minnesota went ahead with single runs in the sixth and seventh.

Jeff Fassero, making his second start in a Texas uniform, walked Marty Cordova to start the sixth and Ron Coomer singled. Mike Morgan relieved and surrendered a run-scoring single to Cummings.

Allen gave the Twins a 4-3 advantage in the next inning with an RBI single.

It also was Allen who plated the game's first run with his ninth homer in the second. But Rodriguez led off the third with his record-tying blast and Todd Zeile hit his 22nd homer two outs later.

A sacrifice fly by Cummings pulled the Twins even in the fourth.

Recap #2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Rafael Palmeiro made the Minnesota Twins pay for pitching to him.

Palmeiro's two-out RBI double in the ninth led the Texas Rangers to a 5-4 victory Tuesday night over Minnesota, extending their winning streak against the Twins to 12 consecutive games.

Royce Clayton led off the ninth with a walk off Hector Carrasco and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. One out later, left-hander Eddie Guardado (2-5) intentionally walked Ivan Rodriguez to bring up Palmeiro.

"We made a decision to pitch to one of the better hitters in the game," Twins manager Tom Kelly said. "He got ahead in the count and he hit it to the wall. You live with your decisions."

Palmeiro, who is hitting .337 with 43 homers and 136 RBI, doubled off the wall in right center, to give Texas the lead.

"I don't take it personally, I understand the situation, but I get pumped up in those situations," Palmeiro said.

"Games have been on the line a lot this year and I've been fortunate to win a number of them."

Minnesota has lost the first 11 games to Texas this season and hasn't beaten the Rangers since Sept. 6, 1998.

Danny Kolb (2-1) pitched one and a third inning, allowing one hit in the eighth for the win.

Wetteland pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 42nd save in 49 chances.

"They're a gritty team," Wetteland said. "They seem to scrap against you. They don't give up. They don't care if they're down. That's a reflection of their manager and their style."

Wetteland survived a scare with a runner on second and one out when Midre Cummings hit a foul pop behind the plate. The ball hit a speaker and ricocheted toward fair territory where Wetteland caught it by the first-base line.

Rodriguez hit his 34th homer for Texas, tying Minnesota's Terry Steinbach for the AL single season record for catchers. Steinbach, then with Oakland, had hit 35 home runs in 1996 -- 34 as a catcher.

"It's a good feeling. I don't look for home runs, but it feels great," Rodriguez said.

Chad Allen had a career-high four hits, going 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. His two-out single in the seventh gave Minnesota a 4-3 lead.

"I've been struggling," Allen said. "Today I really felt relaxed and calm. I just tried to calm myself down and let things come to me."

Todd Zeile also homered for Texas.

GAME NOTES: The Twins are currently 1-7 on their nine-game home stand. ... The Twins are offering an Eric Milton no-hitter package. Fans can purchase an unused lower-level general admission ticket and game program from last Saturday's game. ... Allen is 6-for-7 (.857) lifetime against Jeff Fassero with two home runs. ... The Rangers are an AL best 39-20 since the All-Star break and 49-27 since June 23. ... Rusty Greer, who will miss this series after being hit in his left eye by a thrown ball during batting practice on Monday, is hitting .375 (48-128) with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs in his last 31 games.

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

Denny Hocking turns a double play in the first	Pudge slaps a home run in the third...	... and so does Todd.

And for no good reason, here's a picture of Paul "Mr. Whiny" O'Neill dropping a ball.  (Insert sound of Simpsons kid going "HA-HA")

Box Score

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

BATTERIES:  TEX - JEFF FASSERO, MIKE MORGAN (6TH), MIKE MUNOZ
                  (6TH), DANNY PATTERSON (7TH), MIKE VENAFRO
                  (7TH), DANNY KOLB (8TH), JOHN WETTELAND (9TH)
                  AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
            MIN - JASON RYAN, DAN PERKINS (5TH), HECTOR CARRASCO
                  (7TH), EDDIE GUARDADO (9TH), MIKE TROMBLEY
                  (9TH) AND JAVIER VALENTIN

             WP - DANNY KOLB (2-1)
             LP - EDDIE GUARDADO (2-5)
           SAVE - JOHN WETTELAND (42)

HOME RUNS:  TEX - IVAN RODRIGUEZ (34) OFF RYAN IN THE 3RD, 0 ON
                  TODD ZEILE (22) OFF RYAN IN THE 3RD, 0 ON
            MIN - CHAD ALLEN (9) OFF FASSERO IN THE 2ND, 0 ON

     TIME:  3:30     ATT:  9,717

PROBABLES:  TEX - ESTEBAN LOAIZA (7-4, 4.99)
            MIN - BRAD RADKE (12-13, 3.82)

Box Score
TEXAS (5) AT MINNESOTA (4) - FINAL

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Mclemore 2b             4  1  1  0   1  0   6  .279
I Rodriguez c           4  2  1  1   1  0   1  .328
R Palmeiro dh           4  0  2  3   0  1   0  .337
 Sc Green pr            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .500
J Gonzalez rf           4  0  1  0   0  0   1  .311
Zeile 3b                4  1  1  1   0  0   3  .298
L Stevens 1b            4  0  1  0   0  0   0  .283
R Kelly lf              4  0  0  0   0  2   1  .310
Clayton ss              3  1  2  0   1  0   0  .277
T Goodwin cf            3  0  1  0   0  0   2  .244

Totals                 34  5 10  5   3  3  14

BATTING: 2B - J Gonzalez (30, Ryan); Mclemore (19, Ryan);
R Palmeiro (28, Guardado). HR - I Rodriguez (34, 3rd inning off
Ryan 0 on, 0 out); Zeile (22, 3rd inning off Ryan 0 on, 2 out).
S - T Goodwin. SF - R Palmeiro. RBI - I Rodriguez (103), Zeile (90),
R Palmeiro 3 (136). 2-out RBI - Zeile, R Palmeiro 2. Runners left
in scoring position, 2 out - Zeile 2, Mclemore 1, J Gonzalez 1.
GIDP - I Rodriguez, Mclemore. Team LOB - 8.

MINNESOTA              ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Hocking 2b              5  0  0  0   0  0   3  .278
C Guzman ss             5  1  2  0   0  1   1  .238
M Cordova rf            4  2  0  0   1  2   3  .285
Coomer 1b               3  0  1  0   2  1   0  .261
Allen lf                5  1  4  2   0  0   2  .277
Cummings dh             4  0  2  2   0  0   3  .400
T Hunter cf             2  0  0  0   0  1   2  .260
 a-J Jones ph-cf        2  0  0  0   1  2   4  .291
Koskie 3b               4  0  1  0   0  2   5  .312
Javier Valentin c       1  0  0  0   2  0   3  .276

Totals                 35  4 10  4   6  9  26

a-walked for T Hunter in the 6th.

BATTING: 2B - Allen (19, Wetteland). HR - Allen (9, 2nd inning
off Fassero 0 on, 1 out). S - Javier Valentin. SF - Cummings.
RBI - Allen 2 (42), Cummings 2 (2). 2-out RBI - Allen. Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - Koskie 1, Javier Valentin 2,
J Jones 3, M Cordova 1. Team LOB - 12.

BASERUNNING: SB - C Guzman (8, 2nd base off D Patterson/I Rodriguez).
CS - Hocking (7, 2nd base by Fassero).

FIELDING: E - Hocking (3, ground ball). DP: 2 (C Guzman-Hocking-Coomer,
Hocking-Coomer).

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Fassero                       5       3   3   3   4   4   1   7.39
Morgan (BS, 1)                  1/3   1   0   0   1   0   0   6.01
M Munoz                       1       1   1   1   0   1   0   3.75
D Patterson                     1/3   1   0   0   1   1   0   5.33
Venafro                       1       2   0   0   0   1   0   3.30
Kolb (W, 2-1)                   1/3   1   0   0   0   0   0   4.33
Wetteland (S, 42)             1       1   0   0   0   2   0   3.63

MINNESOTA                    ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Ryan                          4 2/3   7   3   3   1   1   2   4.34
Perkins                       1 1/3   2   0   0   0   1   0   6.69
Carrasco                      2       0   1   1   1   1   0   4.91
Guardado (L, 2-5; BS, 2)        2/3   1   1   1   1   0   0   5.11
Trombley                        1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   4.03

Fassero pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.
Carrasco pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

WP - Fassero 2, Morgan. IBB - I Rodriguez (by Guardado). HBP -
J Gonzalez (by Ryan).  Pitches-strikes: Ryan 91-53; Perkins 15-13;
Carrasco 28-16; Guardado 11-4; Trombley 2-1; Fassero 70-39; Morgan
15-6; M Munoz 22-14; D Patterson 13-6; Venafro 15-11; Kolb 5-3;
Wetteland 17-10.  Ground balls-fly balls: Ryan 6-7; Perkins 3-0;
Carrasco 3-2; Guardado 1-1; Trombley 0-1; Fassero 5-6; Morgan 0-1;
M Munoz 1-1; D Patterson 0-0; Venafro 1-1; Kolb 1-0; Wetteland 0-1.
Batters faced: Ryan 22; Perkins 6; Carrasco 7; Guardado 4; Trombley 1;
Fassero 22; Morgan 3; M Munoz 4; D Patterson 3; Venafro 5; Kolb 2;
Wetteland 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Dale Scott. 1B--Bill Miller. 2B--Al Clark.
3B--Brian Onora.
T--3:30.  Att--9,717. Indoors.

AL       TEXAS AT MINNESOTA
         NOTE:  THE HOME RUN BY TEXAS' IVAN RODRIGUEZ WAS HIS 34TH OF THE
                SEASON, TYING THE AMERICAN LEAGUE RECORD FOR MOST HOME
                RUNS BY A CATCHER IN A SEASON, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY SET
                BY TERRY STEINBACH IN 1996.

Game Log

Texas Starting Lineups -- Mark Mclemore 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Juan Gonzalez RF, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Roberto Kelly LF, Royce Clayton SS, Tom Goodwin CF, Jeff Fassero LHP.

Minnesota Starting Lineups -- Denny Hocking 2B, Cristian Guzman SS, Marty Cordova RF, Ron Coomer 1B, Chad Allen LF, Midre Cummings DH, Torii Hunter CF, Corey Koskie 3B, Javier Valentin C, Jason Ryan RHP.

Umpires -- Scott (HP), Miller (1B), Clark (2B), Onora (3B).

Gametime Weather: Indoors

TEXAS 1ST: Mclemore walked. I Rodriguez grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Mclemore out at second. R Palmeiro singled to left center. J Gonzalez doubled to right, R Palmeiro to third. Zeile flied out to left center. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 1ST: Hocking grounded out to third. C Guzman grounded out to pitcher. M Cordova flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, MINNESOTA 0.

TEXAS 2ND: L Stevens grounded out to first. R Kelly struck out looking. Clayton singled to center. T Goodwin singled to right, Clayton to third. Mclemore popped out to shallow left. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 2ND: Coomer flied out to deep right. Allen homered to left center. Cummings flied out to left. T Hunter flied out to right center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, MINNESOTA 1.

TEXAS 3RD: I Rodriguez homered to right center. R Palmeiro grounded out to first. J Gonzalez flied out to center. Zeile homered to left center. L Stevens grounded out to second. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 3RD: Koskie flied out to left. Javier Valentin walked. Hocking grounded into fielder's choice to second, Javier Valentin out at second. C Guzman grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, MINNESOTA 1.

TEXAS 4TH: R Kelly grounded out to shortstop. Clayton flied out to left center. T Goodwin flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 4TH: M Cordova struck out swinging, on Fassero wild pitch, M Cordova safe at first. M Cordova to second on Fassero wild pitch. Coomer walked. Allen singled to left, M Cordova to third, Coomer to second. Cummings hit sacrifice fly to deep left, M Cordova scored. T Hunter struck out swinging. Koskie struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, MINNESOTA 2.

TEXAS 5TH: Mclemore doubled to left center. I Rodriguez fouled out to right, Mclemore to third. R Palmeiro hit sacrifice fly to center, Mclemore scored. J Gonzalez hit by pitch. Dan Perkins relieved Jason Ryan. Zeile grounded out to first. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 2.

MINNESOTA 5TH: Javier Valentin walked. Hocking grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Javier Valentin out at second. Hocking caught stealing, pitcher to first to shortstop to first. C Guzman struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 2.

TEXAS 6TH: L Stevens singled to right. R Kelly struck out swinging. Clayton singled to center, L Stevens to second. T Goodwin safe at first on 2nd baseman Hocking's fielding error, L Stevens to third, Clayton to second. Mclemore grounded into double play, second to first, T Goodwin out at second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 2.

MINNESOTA 6TH: M Cordova walked. Coomer singled to left, M Cordova to second. Mike Morgan relieved Jeff Fassero. Allen fouled out to first. Cummings singled to center, M Cordova scored, Coomer to second. J Jones hit for T Hunter. Coomer to third, Cummings to second on Morgan wild pitch. J Jones walked. Mike Munoz relieved Mike Morgan. Koskie struck out swinging. Javier Valentin fouled out to first. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 3.

TEXAS 7TH: Hector Carrasco relieved Dan Perkins. J Jones in center. I Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop. R Palmeiro struck out looking. J Gonzalez lined out to right center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 3.

MINNESOTA 7TH: Hocking grounded out to third. C Guzman singled to right. Danny Patterson relieved Mike Munoz. M Cordova struck out looking. C Guzman stole second. Coomer walked. Allen singled to center, C Guzman scored, Coomer to second. Mike Venafro relieved Danny Patterson. Cummings reached on infield single, Coomer to third, Allen to second. J Jones struck out swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 4.

TEXAS 8TH: Zeile grounded out to first. L Stevens grounded out to second. R Kelly flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 4.

MINNESOTA 8TH: Koskie reached on infield single. Javier Valentin sacrificed Koskie to second. Hocking lined out to second. Danny Kolb relieved Mike Venafro. C Guzman reached on infield single, Koskie to third. M Cordova grounded into fielder's choice to second, C Guzman out at second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, MINNESOTA 4.

TEXAS 9TH: Clayton walked. Eddie Guardado relieved Hector Carrasco. T Goodwin sacrificed Clayton to second. Mclemore flied out to right. I Rodriguez intentionally walked. R Palmeiro doubled to deep right center, Clayton and I Rodriguez scored. Mike Trombley relieved Eddie Guardado. Sc Green ran for R Palmeiro. J Gonzalez flied out to left center. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 5, MINNESOTA 4.

MINNESOTA 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Danny Kolb. Coomer struck out swinging. Allen doubled to deep right. Cummings fouled out to first. J Jones struck out looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 5, MINNESOTA 4.