Rangers edge Tigers in rain-hit opener
Source: Agencies |
October 10, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in a rain-interrupted opening game of the American League championship series in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday that featured a show-stopping performance by the home bullpen.
Rangers relievers completely shut down the Tigers, preserving a one-run lead with 4-1/3 innings of one-hit pitching, including eight strikeouts.
Texas closer Neftali Feliz finished it off in style, striking out the side, getting his third strikes on pitches that hit 99, 101 and 99 miles per hour on the radar gun.
"The back of our bullpen is awesome," Rangers catcher Mike Napoli said. "When these guys come in, we expect them to throw zeros. They did their job tonight."
The Rangers led 3-0, including a Nelson Cruz home run against Detroit ace Justin Verlander, going into the fifth inning when two rain delays stalled play for almost two hours.
Detroit scored a pair of runs in the rain-marred inning off Rangers starter CJ Wilson, but a procession of five Texas relievers made the narrowest of advantages stand up.
Verlander, who led the AL in wins (24), earned run average (2.40) and strikeouts (250), took the loss.
"I thought tonight his control was not good," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said about Verlander. "He couldn't get his curveball over for strikes when he needed to."
Wilson had looked in control through four innings but after the first rain delay in the fifth he struggled.
One run scored on an Austin Jackson double and another came across on a Wilson wild pitch after the left-hander had walked two batters to load the bases.
After the second rain delay, left-hander reliever Mike Gonzalez came on and retired left-handed hitting Alex Avila with the bases loaded to end the Detroit threat.
Alexi Ogando entered in the sixth and threw two innings of no-hit ball and was credited with the win.
Darren Oliver and Mike Adams served as a bridge to Feliz, who overpowered the Tigers in the ninth.
The Rangers took the lead against Verlander with two runs in the second inning on a run-scoring triple David Murphy and an RBI-single from Ian Kinsler. Cruz, who was in a 1-for-16 playoffs slump, led off the fourth with a booming home run to left that made it 3-0.
Rangers relievers completely shut down the Tigers, preserving a one-run lead with 4-1/3 innings of one-hit pitching, including eight strikeouts.
Texas closer Neftali Feliz finished it off in style, striking out the side, getting his third strikes on pitches that hit 99, 101 and 99 miles per hour on the radar gun.
"The back of our bullpen is awesome," Rangers catcher Mike Napoli said. "When these guys come in, we expect them to throw zeros. They did their job tonight."
The Rangers led 3-0, including a Nelson Cruz home run against Detroit ace Justin Verlander, going into the fifth inning when two rain delays stalled play for almost two hours.
Detroit scored a pair of runs in the rain-marred inning off Rangers starter CJ Wilson, but a procession of five Texas relievers made the narrowest of advantages stand up.
Verlander, who led the AL in wins (24), earned run average (2.40) and strikeouts (250), took the loss.
"I thought tonight his control was not good," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said about Verlander. "He couldn't get his curveball over for strikes when he needed to."
Wilson had looked in control through four innings but after the first rain delay in the fifth he struggled.
One run scored on an Austin Jackson double and another came across on a Wilson wild pitch after the left-hander had walked two batters to load the bases.
After the second rain delay, left-hander reliever Mike Gonzalez came on and retired left-handed hitting Alex Avila with the bases loaded to end the Detroit threat.
Alexi Ogando entered in the sixth and threw two innings of no-hit ball and was credited with the win.
Darren Oliver and Mike Adams served as a bridge to Feliz, who overpowered the Tigers in the ninth.
The Rangers took the lead against Verlander with two runs in the second inning on a run-scoring triple David Murphy and an RBI-single from Ian Kinsler. Cruz, who was in a 1-for-16 playoffs slump, led off the fourth with a booming home run to left that made it 3-0.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
