The Rangers entered another tough series Monday with an unfavorable pitching matchup: Scott Feldman versus likely rookie of the year Jeremy Hellickson. Feldman was filling in for Matt Harrison, with Harrison fading in the August heat.
Feldman came through, throwing six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and a walk, and inducing 13 ground balls and just one out in the air – a pop caught in the infield. Hellickson held serve through five, wiggling out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth. Josh Hamilton led off the sixth with a 449-foot blast, and David Murphy singled home Michael Young for a second run before Hellickson departed.
Mark Lowe, Darren Oliver, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz finished off the shutout, with Lowe, Oliver and Adams completing perfect seventh and eighth innings. Feliz allowed a single and a walk to start the ninth, but a fielder’s choice and a GIDP by Evan Longoria ended the game.
Alexi Ogando will face off against James Shields Wednesday, as the Rangers try to protect their 3.5 game lead over the Angels.