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Blue Jays-Rangers Preview

Apr 6, 2010 - 7:07 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Toronto (0-1) at Texas (1-0), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The Texas Rangers' season of high expectations didn't start exactly as planned, but it still began with a victory as the team pursues its first playoff berth since 1999.

If the club is to achieve that goal, it might need some contributions from right-hander Rich Harden, who will make his Rangers debut as the Toronto Blue Jays continue their three-game series in Arlington on Wednesday night.

Texas finished with a winning record last year for the first time since 2004, and team president Nolan Ryan is counting on even more improvement this season, repeatedly stating a target of at least 92 wins.

The Rangers got the first one Monday even though they did not get a hit off Toronto starter Shaun Marcum until the seventh inning. After Josh Hamilton walked and newcomer Vladimir Guerrero singled to break up the no-hit bid, Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer to tie the game.

Cruz also helped Texas erase a ninth-inning deficit, hitting an RBI double before Jarrod Saltalamacchia's single clinched the 5-4 victory.

"We showed our character out there," manager Ron Washington said. "We got no-hit for six, got our first hit in the seventh, but they played nine innings. ... They never quit. I tell you what, that clubhouse is something special."

Harden (9-9, 4.09 ERA) is new to the group after signing with Texas as a free agent following a brief stint with the Chicago Cubs.

The hard-throwing Canadian has a 3.39 career ERA with 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, but he has struggled with injuries, pitching more than 150 innings in a season only once, in 2004.

"I'm feeling good," Harden told MLB's official Web site. "I have my pitch count up and my arm strength up. Everything is right where it should be. I'm not worried about anything."

Harden has never beaten the Blue Jays, going 0-3 with a 4.75 ERA in six starts, all during his five-plus seasons with Oakland.

Toronto will counter with Brian Tallet, a reliever for most of his career before he started 25 games last season. Tallet (7-9, 5.32) is back in the rotation because of injuries to starters Marc Rzepczynski and Dustin McGowan.

Tallet allowed two hits in seven innings of a 9-0 win at Texas on June 9, but he gave up a pair of home runs to Hamilton in a 5-2 loss in Arlington on Sept. 1. Toronto has dropped its last four games at Texas.

The Blue Jays, who have modest expectations in the competitive AL East this season after trading away ace Roy Halladay, saw some positive signs in their opening defeat.

Vernon Wells and Adam Lind each homered and finished with three hits. Wells, an Arlington native, is coming off a disappointing season as he tries to live up to his large contract, while Lind is hoping to build on a breakout 2009 during which he hit .305 with 35 home runs.

"He proved what he could do last year," Wells said of Lind. "I'll have quite a few chances to drive in some runs with those guys ahead of me."

The productive day by the middle of Toronto's lineup went for naught when Jason Frasor blew the save. Frasor allowed four hits and two runs in the ninth after earning the role over Kevin Gregg and Scott Downs.

"What a way to start the season," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "We start with almost a no-hitter and it leads to a loss."