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.