Eighteen hits. Fourteen runs. Six walks. Three doubles. Six home runs. There was offense all over the place for the Rangers this game. Kind of reminds me a game a couple years ago where we scored a boatload of runs in the final game down in Houston. If I remember right, Hank Blalock had a grand slam and a three run home run in that game.
Mark Teixeira had two home runs in this game, which is nice, he looks like he’s getting on track, which might help increase his trade value should we choose to go that route. Victor Diaz also had two home runs, both of them to right field, which was nice to see.
We had several guys with great days. Mark Teixeira was 4-6 with 2 home runs, 3 RBI’s. Victor Diaz was 4-5 with two home runs and 3 RBI’s. Gerald Laird was 3-4 with a walk, and Ramon Vazquez was 3-3 with 5 RBI’s. Nice bunches of offense there, plus there was enough to go around. Of the starters, only Brandon McCarthy had no hits, but he’s a pitcher. :)
Speaking of McCarthy, he had a good outing. He went 6, giving up just four hits and one run. This is probably the guy we traded for. Not the launching pad who was wearing #20 on his back in April. Brandon also struck out two, and walked two. His ERA is finally under 6, and I think has made what three, maybe four good starts in a row? That’s good to see.
Hopefully this kind of stuff can translate and stick on the road, as we need a LOT more road wins to get back to respectability.
I was hoping Sammy Sosa would have gotten a couple of home runs in Houston, so he would come back home with 599. I’m going to the game Monday night, so I was hoping he’d go into the game needing just one, as I doubt he’s hitting three of ’em on Monday night when I’ll be there to witness it. :)