This game started off like a lot of games we’re used to seeing the last few years. Down 4-0 before we come up to bat the first time. This latest edition of that no fun piece of baseball comes at the hands of Kevin Millwood. Kevin gave up three doubles and two singles in the first frame, and it tallied up to four runs. Ugh.
To Kevin’s credit, he turned it around, and ended up throwing six innings in all. Turns out those four runs in the first were the only runs he gave up all game. It was actually the only runs the Rangers gave up at all, since the pen (Guardado, Francisco, Benoit, & Wright) didn’t give up any in the three frames of relief they threw. Nice piece of frosting on that remark was the fact that there were zero walks given up by Rangers’ pitching in the entire game. Always good to see that. Even in losses.
Offensively, we were going up against C.C. Sabathia. This year, Sabathia isn’t himself – he’s 3-8 with a 4.81 ERA. He’s a better pitcher than that. Still, he’s a guy who strikes fear into a lineup, despite his troubles this year. We did get to him a bit. CC threw six innings, and gave up five runs (one was unearned), but walked three. He got hit up a bit and didn’t seem overly dominating.
At the plate, the Rangers had twelve hits in all. Highlights were five extra base hits (two doubles, one triple, two home runs), and three hits for both Michael Young and Milton Bradley. Both Young & Bradley had two RBI’s each, but they were topped by Ramon Vazquez, who had three RBI’s (as well as a triple in the game).
Was a nice comeback win. Would have been better if we didn’t give up the four in the first frame, but eh – a win is a win. We’re doing the .500 dance again, can’t get any streaks going long term (in either direction fortunately).