Tigers Defeat Yankees, Win Series

The Texas Rangers Name C.J. Wilson The Starter Of Game 1 of ALCS

Ron Washington has knocked out one of his to-do's prior to the beginning of the American League Championship Series between his Texas Rangers versus either the New York Yankees or the Detroit Tigers.

Who will be the Game 1 starter? Check.

That "check" is 16-game winner C.J. Wilson. The 30-year old lefty has proven to be the Rangers most reliable starting pitcher, and although Wilson struggled in his only pitching appearance in the ALDS, Washington is confidence in his left-handed hurler. For good reason, as Wilson was the starter in Game 1 of the ALCS in 2010 versus the Yankees. Wilson allowed three runs in seven innings, before the Yankees capitalized on poor pitching from the bullpen and took the Game 1 victory. 

Other than naming the Game 1 starter, Washington has made no decisions on the rotation or lineup. The Rangers were off on Wednesday and plan to resume workouts on Thursday. If the Yankees win Game 5 versus the Tigers, the Rangers will work out in Arlington Friday morning before flying out to New York City.

For more insights check out the SBNation Rangers blog at Lone Star Ball.

2011 Texas Rangers PLayer Of The ALDS

2011 ALCS Schedule Information

We won't know all of the details on the 2011 ALCS schedule until we determine a winner in the Tigers-Yankees ALDS series either tonight or Thursday. MLB has set a schedule, though, for the rest of the playoffs via their website. The ALCS, Rangers vs. Tigers/Yankees (sounds so good), looks like this: 

 The Rangers will host Games 1 and 2 if the Tigers are their opponent, and Game 3 if  the Yankees survive. There is no NLCS game scheduled for Saturday or Tuesday, so the first first game at Rangers Ballpark should be a night game.

Rangers Vs. Rays Final Score: Rangers Close Out ALDS, Defeat Rays 4-3

Adrian Beltre's bat carried the Rangers on Tuesday afternoon, as the Rangers closed out the ALDS against the Rays with a 4-3 victory. 

Beltre socked three homers in Tuesday's win, tying a postseason single game record for home runs in a game. Unfortunately for the Rangers, all three home runs were solo blasts, but it was enough for the Rangers to advance to the ALCS.

Ian Kinsler set the tone immediately, belting a leadoff home run off of Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson. Beltre would add his first of three home runs in the second inning, giving Texas a 2-0 lead.

Matt Joyce's second inning double made the score 2-1, but Beltre would respond again in the fourth inning, giving Texas a 3-1 lead. Tampa Bay would cut the deficit to 3-2 before Beltre homered yet again in the seventh inning, giving Texas a 4-2 lead.

Matt Harrison was credited with the win, despite pitching only five innings. Harrison pitched well, allowing two runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out nine. Derek Holland came on in relief of Harrison in the sixth inning, pitching one and 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit. 

Ron Washington then went to Matt Adams to get the last two outs of the seventh inning -- even though Adams usually pitches the eighth. Alexi Ogando, who was moved back to the bullpen prior to the ALDS, pitched the eighth inning without surrendering a base runner.

Neftali Feliz earned the save, but allowed the Rays to bring the winning run to the plate in the ninth after issuing a walk and allowing a hit. Feliz, though, induced a groundout from Desmond Jennings to end the game, sending the Rangers back to the ALCS for the second consecutive season.

Texas' opponent in the ALCS is still unknown. Detroit currently leads New York two games to one in the ALDS, with Game 4 coming tonight in Detroit. Should the Tigers close out the Yankees tonight, the Rangers would host games one and two of the ALCS. If the Yankees come back and win the next two games, Texas would travel to the Bronx to take on the Yankees in a rematch of the 2010 ALCS.

Rangers Vs. Rays Score Update: Adrian Beltre's Third Homer Pads Texas' Lead

Adrian Beltre is doing everything he can to get the Rangers back into the ALCS. Beltre has homered in each of his three at bats to help give Texas a 4-2 lead as the Rangers look to close out the Rays in 4 games.

Ian Kinsler started off the game with a leadoff home run before Beltre started his home run parade. Beltre homered in the second inning, giving Texas a 2-0 lead. 

Matt Joyce then cut into Texas' lead with a run scoring double to right field, reducing Texas' lead to 2-1. 

Beltre, though, would answer back in the fourth inning, belting his second homer of the day off of Jeremy Hellickson. 

Once again, the Rays answered, as Casey Kotchman singled in the bottom half of the fourth, cutting the Rangers' lead down to 3-2. 

Beltre wasn't done. Facing Matt Moore, who Joe Maddon brought in for the fifth inning, Beltre belted his third solo shot of the day in the seventh inning, extending Texas' lead to 4-2 in the seventh inning.

Ron Washington simply needs to get nine outs from his bullpen to punch another ticket to the ALCS.

ANIMATED: TBS Cameraman Faceplants On Adrian Beltre's Home Run

Rangers Vs Rays Score Update: Kinsler, Beltre Power Early 2-1 Lead

It took only two pitches for the Texas Rangers to get a lead on the Tampa Bay Rays in a possibly decisive ALDS Game 4 that could send Texas back to the ALCS for the second straight season.

In his first career post-season start, Tampa Bay rookie Jeremy Hellickson left an 80 mph letter-high pitch over the middle of the plate and Ian Kinsler made him pay, belting a lead-off home-run over the left-field fence.

After Matt Harrison left two man on base in the bottom of the first, Adrian Beltre led off the top of the second with another home-run blast to left-field.

The Rays aren't going away, as shortstop Sean Rodriguez scored from first on a two-out Matt Joyce double in the bottom of the second. Tampa is known for their aggressive base-running, and Rodriguez beat out a nearly perfect Texas relay by bowling over Mike Napoli in a play at the plate.

There is still a lot of baseball to be played, and neither starter has looked particularly sharp so far.

Rangers Vs. Rays: ALDS Game 4 Lineups

Lineups for both the Rangers and Rays have been posted for Game 4 of the ALDS as the Rangers look to advance to the American League Championship Series for the second consecutive season. 

Texas Rangers:

2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
DH Michael Young
3B Adrian Beltre
C Mike Napoli
RF Nelson Cruz
LF David Murphy
1B Mitch Moreland

SP Matt Harrison   

Tampa Bay Rays:

LF Desmond Jennings
CF B.J. Upton
3B Evan Longoria
2B Ben Zobrist
DH Johnny Damon
C Kelly Shoppach
SS Sean Rodriguez
1B Casey Kotchman
RF Matt Joyce

SP Jeremy Hellickson

Rangers manager Ron Washington has decided to start Josh Hamilton in centerfield again, putting David Murphy in left field against the right handed Hellickson. The only other change for Texas comes in the batting order, with Moreland being dropped to ninth and Murphy's spot being moved up to eighth.

First pitch from Tropicana Field is scheduled for 2:07 p.m. ET, 1:07 CT. Televised coverage of the game can be found nationally on TBS. 

ALDS Game 4: Rangers Look To Close Out Rays, Advance To ALCS

Matt Harrison starts for the Rangers as Texas looks to advance to the ALCS for the second consecutive year.