SB Nation Dallas - Rangers Bats Go Silent Against Brett Cecil, Rangers Fall 3-0 To Jayshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2011-07-23T23:15:47-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/20529192011-07-23T23:15:47-05:002011-07-23T23:15:47-05:00Epic Ninth Gets Rangers Victory
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GvT769MZcBhoCqQhquFTMVRiuKg=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828111/large_dallas.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p><b>Magic Number:</b> 58</p>
<p></p>
<hr class="widget_boundry_marker">
<div class="pane sports_data_widget events clearfix">
<table class="box-score">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 7.23.2011 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th>R</th> <th>H</th> <th>E</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> </span></td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">4</td>
<td class="highlight">9</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>2</td>
<td class="highlight">5</td>
<td class="highlight">12</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="13">WP: <span>Darren Oliver</span> (3 - 5) <br> LP: <span>Marc Rzepczynski</span> (2 - 3)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
</div>
<hr class="widget_boundry_marker">
<p><br id="1311480604680"></p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was some stuff that happened in the Rangers game Saturday. <span>Ian Kinsler</span> had a double that was just shy of a home run. The Rangers had a ton of hard hit balls find Blue Jay gloves; FanGraphs has 32.3% of their balls in play recorded as line drives to 18.2% for Toronto. <span>Josh Hamilton</span> got a hit in each of his first three plate appearances, including a triple, and added a walk later for one heck of a game.</p>
<p>On the defensive side, <span>Matt Harrison</span> pitched pretty well, with good velocity, 14 swinging strikes and eight strikeouts to no walks, but had himself a melt down in the sixth inning. J.P. Arrencibia somehow turned on a low and in fastball -- emphasis on the word ball -- and sent it in to the stands; Harrison seemed to decide an unhittable pitch being crushed should be followed by very hittable pitches. Reverse psychology maybe, but it did not work. A fat change in the center of the plate became a double, another change even more in the center became a triple, and a pitch thrown to <span>Jose Bautista</span> became a single. Suddenly, a 3-1 lead was a 4-3 deficit, despite Harrison showing all the peripheral strength you could hope for.</p>
<p>All that nonsense is unimportant, though, because this game was about the finish. The unlucky offense and the mental lapse from the young starter just helped set up for another memorable moment in a season trying very hard to be as memorable as last.</p>
<p>It began with the Blue Jays bringing in Marc Rzepczynsk, whose name I just cut and paste instead of trying to spell it myself. He is a lefty, and the Rangers had lefty-killer <span>Mike Napoli</span> on the bench. Normally, that is not a call you see, but Ron Washington is often pretty cautious about bringing in the back-up catcher. Tonight, he threw Toronto a curveball and brought in Napoli, anyway, and despite going down 0-2, he was able to work an awesome walk.</p>
<p>With <span>Mitch Moreland</span> now facing a lefty, the bunt was called. It may seem like a waste of a bat, but then when the hitter is putting up a .222 wOBA against lefties, it might just be the right call. What you do not expect is for Moreland of all people to beat that bunt out for a hit, but that's what he did, putting runners on first and second.</p>
<p>Already now there has been a great battle at the plate to work a walk, and a stunning bunt hit, an exciting inning before anyone had swung to put a ball in play. Ian Kinsler followed up with another bunt, this of the normal variety, putting runners on second and third. Not as exciting, but Kinsler did almost make it safe.</p>
<p>Then all hell broke lose. <span>Elvis Andrus</span> squeezed a third consecutive bunt, and without a diving grab by J.P. Arrencibia, would have been safe at first, likely allowing the winning run to score in the process. As it was, Napoli scored from third to tie it, and the head-spinning inning had the winning run at third and Josh Hamilton up.</p>
<p>Hamilton, of course, was walked, bringing up the so-called clutchiest clutch-master in all of clutchdom, <span>Michael Young</span>, to win it. You know already that he did win it, doing so with a fly ball to the wall in right. What you do not know, if you did not watch, was how exciting even that final moment was. Not content to let Rangers fans celebrate until the last second, <span>Corey Patterson</span> took a bizarre, adventurous route to the ball, looking all the while like he might catch it, but with just enough doubt to keep us in suspense. When the ball dropped beyond his reach and the winning run came home, Dave Barnett let loose what has to be his best call of the year, and the Rangers had escaped with a victory to make up for the one they handed over just a few short days ago.</p>
<p>At around 8:30, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> had held on down the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a>. With the Rangers leading at the time, it looked like a shot at re-gaining some ground in the division. Without the series of bunts or Patterson's not-so-straight line, the Rangers would have merely tread water, but they now look at a four game lead once again, and have put away the series against their new nemesis easily.</p>
<p>I would prefer a lot more 12-2 games than what we just saw, but there is nothing like a wild finish to get you pumped.</p>
<h4>GAME CHARTS</h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2011-07-23&team=Rangers&dh=0&season=2011">FanGraphs Win Expectancy</a></p>
<p> <br id="1311480732117"></p>
<p><b> <a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/667783/wpa.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Wpa_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/667783/wpa_medium.png"></a> <br id="1311480787035"> Biggest Contributions </b>(<a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/library/index.php/misc/wpa/">What is this, I don't even. . . ?</a>)</p>
<ol>
<li>Michael Young 29%</li>
<li>Mitch Moreland 20%</li>
<li>Josh Hamilton 15%</li>
</ol>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=7&day=23&year=2011&game=gid_2011_07_23_tormlb_texmlb_1%2F&prevDate=723">Tony Randazzo's Strikezone from Brooks Baseball</a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/667787/strikezone.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Strikezone_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/667787/strikezone_medium.png"></a> <br id="1311480864714"></p>
<h3><a target="_blank" href="http://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/7/23/2290628/rangers-5-blue-jays-4-player-of-the-game">VOTE FOR THE PLAYER OF THE GAME!</a></h3>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/7/23/2290639/four-up-from-fantastic-face-finishRobbie Griffin2011-07-23T22:23:43-05:002011-07-23T22:23:43-05:00Rangers 5, Blue Jays 4 - Player Of The Game
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GvT769MZcBhoCqQhquFTMVRiuKg=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828111/large_dallas.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>A <span>Michael Young</span> walk-off completes the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a>' ninth inning comeback, moving them to 58-43, and a four game lead in the division.</p>↵<p>Vote for the player of the game!</p>↵
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/7/23/2290628/rangers-5-blue-jays-4-player-of-the-gameRobbie Griffin2011-07-23T14:24:37-05:002011-07-23T14:24:37-05:00Rangers, Harrison Look To Make It Two In A Row
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GvT769MZcBhoCqQhquFTMVRiuKg=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828111/large_dallas.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>On Friday, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> snapped their two-game losing streak, defeating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Blue Jays</a> 12-2 behind Nelson Cruz' 4-4 day at the plate which included eight RBIs. Cruz' strong offensive performance backed yet another excellent start from <span>Colby Lewis</span>, as the Rangers got back to their winning ways.</p>
<p>Saturday night, <span>Matt Harrison</span> gets the start for the Rangers against Toronto as Texas looks to run their winning streak to a modest two games. </p>
<p>Harrison will be looking for his ninth win of the year as his record currently sits at 8-7. Harrison has pitched surprisingly well this year, to the tune of a 2.91 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while holding opponents to a .245 average against. Harrison, though, has only struck out 70 in 111.1 innings of work on the year, a strikeout rate that is not terribly impressive. </p>
<p>Texas' offense will face Carlos Villaneuva, who has pitched both as a starter and reliever this year. Villaneuva has enjoyed success this year, sporting a 3.31 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 84.1 innings. He's struck out 60 batters on the season.</p>
<p>First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/7/23/2290144/rangers-harrison-look-to-make-it-two-in-a-rowJP Starkey2011-07-22T13:49:37-05:002011-07-22T13:49:37-05:00Rangers Return Home, Play Host To Blue Jays
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GvT769MZcBhoCqQhquFTMVRiuKg=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828111/large_dallas.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>After running their winning streak to 12 games, the <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas Rangers</a> saw it snapped at the hands of the <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Angels</a> on Wednesday night. Texas fell 1-0 on Thursday to the Angels as well, putting them on a modest two game losing streak. On Friday night, the Rangers return home to Arlington as they play host to the <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Toronto Blue Jays</a>.</p>
<p><span>Colby Lewis</span> gets the start for the Rangers, as he looks for his 10th win of the season. Lewis was brilliant in his most recent outing against the <a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seattle Mariners</a>, pitching eight and two thirds innings of shutout baseball, walking two while giving up four hits and striking out eight en route to his ninth victory of the year. </p>
<p>Lewis has enjoyed success in 2011, despite the staggering amount of home runs he's given up and despite the few disaster starts he's had. Lewis holds a 1.20 WHIP, .239 BAA and 4.07 ERA headed into Friday night's game against the Blue Jays. Lewis has struck out 104 in 121.2 innings of work as well.</p>
<p>Lefty <span>Jo-Jo Reyes</span> will take the mound for Toronto on Friday night. Reyes has simply not been good this season, with a 5-7 record to go along with a 4.94 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. Reyes has struck out just 61 in 105.2 innings this year, while giving up 132 hits (.302 batting average against) and walking 34</p>
<p>First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2011/7/22/2338249/rangers-return-home-play-host-to-blue-jaysJP Starkey