Final
Rangers eye another win at the Trop
May 31, 2011 - 3:01 PMVideo
Texas, which won all three of its games at the Trop in last year's American League Division Series, picked up right where it left off last October on Monday, as Mike Napoli hit a pair of homers and drove in five runs in an 11-5 rout. Endy Chavez went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two RBI, while Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer and scored three times for the Rangers, who banged out 20 hits in the win.
"Everyone stepped up and got a hit or got on base to get us going," Moreland said.
Derek Holland (4-1) gave up five runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings to pick up his first win since April 22. The left-hander also struck out seven and walked five for Texas, which started a seven-game road trip on Monday.
Justin Ruggiano hit a three-run homer for the Rays, who got a solo homer from Ben Zobrist. Wade Davis (4-5) allowed a season-high seven runs on 12 hits over just 2 2/3 frames in the loss.
To make matters worse, shortstop Sean Rodriguez committed three errors in the game for Tampa. The Rays had not committed two errors in a game through their first 52 games of the season, setting a major league record previously held by the 2010 Twins (first 48 games). Monday's contest was Tampa Bay's first multi- error game since October 3, 2010.
Taking the ball for the Rangers tonight will be left-hander C.J. Wilson, who is 5-3 with a 3.25 earned run average. Wilson won for the first time in four starts on Wednesday when he defeated the Chicago White Sox, holding them to a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He also struck out five without walking a batter.
This will be Wilson's second regular season start against the Rays. Last year he beat them, as he allowed three earned runs in five innings of work. Wilson also stifled the Rays in last year's playoffs, striking out seven and allowing just two hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 2.
Tampa, meanwhile, will hand the ball to 23-year-old righty Alex Cobb, who will be making his second-ever big league start. Cobb was roughed up in his initial outing back on May 1 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, as he surrendered four runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.
He had been 5-0 for Triple-A Durham with a 1.14 ERA.
"Minor League numbers don't mean anything now," Cobb said. "Once you get up here, you have to be able to put those numbers out up here. If you don't, you're going to go back."
Of course, this week's matchup is a rematch of last year's ALDS which the Rangers won in five games. Texas may have won all three games on the road in that series, but has emerged victorious in just four of the last 17 regular season matchups in St. Petersburg.
Tampa won four of its six meetings with the Rangers last season.
- TEXAS: 4
TAMPA BAY: 5
Final
May 31 9:36 PM - Evan Longoria two-out, two-run Home Run (4) to left scored Johnny Damon. B.J. Upton due up.
Rangers 4, Rays 5 Bot 8, 2 OutsMay 31 9:26 PM - Matt Joyce two-out, two-run Home Run (9) to right scored B.J. Upton. Kelly Shoppach due up.
Rangers 3, Rays 3 Bot 7, 2 OutsMay 31 8:46 PM - Ian Kinsler single to center scored Mike Napoli. On the play, Ian Kinsler advanced to second on the throw. Runner on second with one out and Andres Blanco due up.
Rangers 2, Rays 1 Top 7, 1 OutMay 31 8:26 PM - Adrian Beltre single to center scored Josh Hamilton On the play, Michael Young advances to third and Adrian Beltre advanced to second on the throw. Runners on second and third with two outs and Nelson Cruz due up.
Rangers 1, Rays 0 Top 3, 2 OutsMay 31 7:33 PM - TEXAS: 0
TAMPA BAY: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
May 31 6:41 PM
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