I think like a lot of Ranger fans, I got disgusted after the second inning. John Wasdin pitched like the journeyman pitcher he was before he appears to have “found it” this year. He gave up 6 runs in the second inning, to put us in the hole against Cy Young candidate Roy Halladay. If you were someone who tuned the game out after that, then I would agree with you, as I’ve been known to tune out in those circumstances. However, this game I stayed with it, and I was glad I did. We were only down 6-2 after the second inning, and we picked up another run in the third, and two more in the fourth.
However, the third was the moment of change for the game. Kevin Mench nailed Roy Halladay in the leg with a batted ball that really looked like a big ol’ ouch. Halladay had to come out of the game, and it was mentally I think the moment that the game turned. Halladay was out, and I think a sense of “We can come back now” was what most were feeling. But we didn’t take adavantage of it much, as the game remained 6-5 through till the bottom of the ninth. We had chances, though. In the second inning, Mark Teixeira was called out on a strike that really looked too low – Tex very openly complained about it, which he rarely does. Thing is, Hank Blalock came up to start the third and hit a home run. Now I know that doesn’t mean he would have gotten one if he had come up in the second, but it’s one of those Grrrr. moments. :)
But the bottom of the ninth was more or less handed to us on a plate by the Blue Jays. They made three errors in the inning. Hank Blalock was awarded second on a two base throwing error. Alfonso Soriano then singled to tie the game scoring Blalock. Sori tried to steal second, and Gregg Zaun tossed the ball into center, sending Sori to third on the second run of the inning. Finally, Rod Barajas hit a ball to short, and their shortstop threw the ball away trying to get Sori at home for the third and game winning error. Nice come from behind win, and we picked up one on the Angels, too.
A nice side note is that Mike Young almost got a cycle. He had a single, home run, and triple after the fourth inning. But he never could get the double to finish it off. Still, he went 4-5 and his batting average is way up there now (.334 after this game). Gotta love he’s going to the All Star Game, and Derek Jeter isn’t.
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