The Rangers got a glimpse of a a pitcher that will give them some headaches for the next several years, but they unveiled Alexi Ogando as a starter. That may be pretty special as well. Pineda lived up to his scouting report, showing a mid 90’s fastball and two solid offspeed pitches to go with promising command, and held the Rangers to three runs in six innings on just 85 pitches.
Ogando also showed fine stuff, displaying his own low-mid 90’s heater and unwrapping a slower than usual but still sharp breaking ball. He allowed just two hits and two walks and shut out the M’s through six innings. His 90th – and last – pitch was a 93 mph fastball that struck out Jack Cust.
Mark Lowe allowed three straight softly hit singles in the 7th, and Seattle closed the score to 3-2, but Darren Oliver retired Chone Figgins and Milton Bradley to end the threat. Oliver pitched a perfect eighth, and Neftali Feliz matched him in the ninth to notch his second save. Feliz has pitched four perfect ninth innings in the five Rangers wins.
The Rangers have clinched a second series win, but they will have to beat Felix Hernandez Wednesday at 1:00 to maintain their perfect record. C.J. Wilson will start for Texas.