This was the one game of the Boston series going in is the one I had the most concern about. CJ Wilson has been a bit up and down over the last half dozen starts, and doing that in Boston could be real trouble. However, we got the earlier version CJ Wilson in this start.
CJ went 6.2 innings, and gave up just three hits and one earned run. He did walk five, which gave the feel a less dominant feeling than it probably could have been. The walks contributed to his 113 pitches thrown in the middle of the seventh when he came out. Our pen backed up CJ with 2.1 innings combined. However, Neftali Feliz, who closed the game out, had a John Wetteland moment by allowing the Sox in a bit closer by allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth. But despite the final bit of nailbiting, the game felt pretty well pitched overall. A great bit was the fact that CJ Wilson struck out 10 batters, which is something that’s surprisingly common this season (thanks Colby).
The Rangers mostly singled their way to the win, with six of their nine hits being singles. The other three were doubles, but despite the lack of power, it was well put together. They scored two on a double in the fourth, and then we got a run on a double steal of second and home in the fifth. That was a cool move. Not a straight steal of home, but still, it’s a fun way to score a run. Kinsler singled in the final run, so it was all well placed.
This gave us a 3-1 series win in Boston, something that’s not happened in ages, and I’m sure will upset Boston fans, who would likely thing “Texas? We lost three to Texas?”