The night before this, I only got about two hours of sleep – I was dead tired before the game even started. About 11:45, I couldn’t take it anymore, and fell asleep. When I went to sleep, we were winning, but Rick Helling had just come out. We eventually lost Our bullpen gave away another game.
That’s a shame, because Rick Helling looked masterful. I felt he deserved to win his 11th game of the season. However, our bullpen couldn’t hold it again. I know I said yesterday I wanted to keep John Wetteland, and I still do. I hope he survives the pending shakedown. I really want him to stay. I’d like to keep Segui, too, but I can’t see both of them staying.
Anyway, it was an awesome pitching matchup in both sides until we finally broke through in the 7th inning. It almost wasn’t, that close, but with men on 2nd and 3rd, Mike Lamb made a spectacular play. Chopper to third, and he managed to tag the runner off the base at third, and then toss to first for a double play. One of the better plays made by a third baseman this year (well, at least a Ranger player).
This loss puts us back to 9.5 games back, and I think that unless we manage to sweep Anaheim & Seattle, that’s it – we’re done. Sure, some miracle could happen in the second half once the pressure is off, but even if we got that far, I don’t think the 2000 Rangers have what it takes to make it anywhere in the playoffs, anyway.