Rangers Win 7-2, Sweep 2 Game Series Versus 1st Place M's

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Padilla pitched a 1 hit, 8 IP game but got a no-decision.

Why? a) the Texas offense managed only 1 run through 9 innings; b) Kinsler booted a likely, probable double play ball with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd for an error, allowing an unearned run to score in the 6th.

Rangers left 9 on base, at one point 8 of them in scoring position I think.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining:

Padilla pitched a 1 hit, 8 IP game, more than a "quality start", albeit for a no-decision.

After the aforementioned error in the 6th, in the 7th Cruz tattooed a ball into deep left-center to tie the game. Seriously, it was a, "anything that goes that far should have a flight attendant on it," type of homer.

In the extra inning the Rangers put up six runs, including 4 on a Salty grand-salami to blow the game wide open.

In a non-save opportunity Francisco comes in and closed the game (a run scored but is earned by ODay who put the runner on). Francisco's ERA for the season: 0.00.

Rangers hit the ball well, just never with runners in scoring position until the 10th.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

Rangers are .5 back in the division and play 8 games against divisional foes(2 vs. the A's and 3 each vs. the Halos and M's) between now and May 17. We'll know a lot about the Rangers between now and then.

Will Holland get his first start between now and then? Maybe, hopefully, probably, depending on Scooter Feldman's next start. It's just a guess, and nothing against Scooter, I hope he turns into an ace, or a solid 4th-5th starter, he may be. But, goddammit, I wanna see little Doogie Holland, with his pink bag and all, get a start.

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Rangers Beat Division Leading M's 6-5

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Murphy got caught stealing in the 8th. Not sure if it was the best time to try it.

Millwood got rocked in the 5th giving up 4 runs.

Silver Lining:

Crash Davis hit the game winning homer with Murphy on board (he had singled just earlier).

Rangers' bats got to the M's ace scoring 2 runs in each of his last 3 IP, also handing him his first loss of the season.

Rangers continued to be aggressive on the bases, though this time they were caught.

Elvis made an amazing play at short, diving to his right he snagged a grounder that was almost past him, gathered himself on one knee on the outfield grass and threw out the runner at first in the 9th inning on an extremely close play (he looked safe to me but, it was still a great, close play by Elvis, plus the baserunner for the the M's didn't sell it, the baserunner immediatly looked at the ump after reaching first, looking for the "safe" call, maybe making the ump more likely to call him out).

Millwood pitched 4 perfect innings to start the game before giving up 4 runs in the 5th. After the 5th he settled down, giving up just one more run, and pitched 8 1/3 innings for the win.

Francisco registered another save. ERA for the year: 0.00.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

I know Crash Davis went yard but he again had a multiple strike out game and in the process left 3 on. He doesn't walk, seemingly ever, strikes out often and is batting about .200.

True to their rhetoric the Rangers did not yank Millwood at the first sign of trouble in the 5th. Of course he is their ace. 

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