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Young, Rangers walk-off against Cordero, Brewers

Jun 10, 2007 - 6:40 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Francisco Cordero had yielded just seven hits this season before Saturday night. Five hits later, he had his first loss. Michael Young capped off a four-run ninth with a walk-off single, giving the Texas Rangers a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cordero (0-1) was traded from the Rangers to the Brewers at the trading deadline last season as a part of the deal that sent Carlos Lee to Texas. Since then, Cordero has become the most dominant closer in the National League, closing out all 22 of his opportunities this season while yielding just one run.

"It's not devastating," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "We're not dead. It's a ballgame. We'll come back tomorrow."

His return to Rangers Ballpark was not as successful. Cordero retired the first two batters of the ninth on a strikeout and a grounder back to the pitcher before Brad Wilkerson singled to left.

"He got two quick outs and two strikes on the next few guys," Yost said. "He just couldn't put 'em away. He's been some kinda good for us. He's been perfect. We knew he was going to have one of these nights. You just hoped you could keep it away as long as you could. I'll take his ratio any time."

Wilkerson moved to second on defensive indifference and Ramon Vazquez walked, leaving Cordero's former catcher, Gerald Laird, at the plate with a pair of runners on. Laird delivered, singling Wilkerson home for the Rangers first run of the night. Veteran speedster Kenny Lofton legged out an infield single to first to bring home the second run and Marlon Byrd followed with a single to tie the score.

"Stuff that just wasn't happening for this team, like Kenny (Lofton) beating that ball out, just all came together," Byrd said. "It's something that we have to build on."

Young wasted little time, shooting Cordero's 0-1 offering through the right side for the game-winning single.

"I was just trying to have a good at-bat, trying to get a deep breath and staying under control," said Young, who is hitting .400 in his last 18 games. " Coco's (Cordero) having an incredible year. Everyone in here has a great deal of respect for him. Considering the year he's having and how tough he's been, coming in with a three-run deficit, we knew it would be tough."

"I got the first two guys out pretty quick and you think it's pretty much over, but that wasn't the case," Cordero said. "This is not the first time it's happened and I don't think this will be the last time it happens." Young's hit wasted a stellar outing by Brewers starter Ben Sheets, who tossed seven scoreless innings.

"I feel very bad," Cordero said. "Ben threw a very good game. I'm just disappointed. You don't ever expect to give up four runs with two outs." Sheets entered Saturday's start riding a string of nine straight appearances in which he had allowed three runs or less. The undisputed ace of a struggling staff, Sheets struck out six and yielded four hits against the Rangers.

"He (Cordero) is the best in baseball," Sheets said. "You can't ask for a better scenario. If we had it again, we'd do it the same way. Nobody's perfect in this game."

The Brewers pitching staff had surrendered 28 runs over their last four games, going 1-3 in those contests. Sheets, who has not allowed a in 18 innings, has bookended that four-game stretch with a pair of scoreless outings. Milwaukee's first run came courtesy of an unlikely pair of hitters, Tony Graffinino and Craig Counsell.

Graffinino clubbed a one-out double off Texas starter Brandon McCarthy in the fifth and came around to score on Counsell's double to deep right. Counsell and Graffinino slapped the only blemish on the effort by McCarthy, who suffered the loss despite yielding just four hits and striking out five.

McCarthy was lifted after the fifth inning, having thrown just 78 pitches - 52 for strikes. The 23-year-old righthander, who has not started since May 25 against the Red Sox because of a blister on his pitching hand, was 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA in his last four starts before the game against Boston.

"I was sharp early and for the first time back, I felt pretty good," McCarthy said. "My finger felt fine."

After three innings of one-hit relief from Joaquin Benoit, Milwaukee opened up some breathing room with a pair of runs off righthander Frank Francisco (1-0). Graffinino and Geoff Jenkins each notched an RBI. The runs proved to not be enough, however, as Cordero blew his first save of the season.

"We needed a win," Sheets said. "They just beat us tonight. We set it up like we wanted too. Most of the time it works for us...tonight it didn't."