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Gabbard dominates as Rangers top Angels

Apr 5, 2008 - 6:52 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- With the Texas Rangers firmly in rebuilding mode, a few of the newest pieces made their cases for permanent roster spots on Friday.

Kason Gabbard pitched seven scoreless innings and Ben Broussard hit a grand slam to help the Rangers cruise to an 11-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Josh Hamilton - who was acquired in an offseason trade - drove in three runs and Ian Kinsler doubled twice and had two RBI for Texas, which added five runs in the eighth inning to put away the contest.

"Gabbard did a great job holding a great hitting team down tonight," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He changed speeds and threw consistent strikes. When Gabbard has his stuff going, he gets a lot of ground balls and that was the case tonight. It was good for our club to break loose and score some runs."

Gabbard, who came over from the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline last season, allowed seven hits and walked two while striking out four. The lefthanded sinkerballer induced 16 groundouts against just one flyout while tossing 57 of his 92 pitches for strikes.

"I let my fastball work itself," Gabbard said. "I kept the ball on the ground and let the defense work for me. Just wanted to go out and keep the ball down in the zone and get quick ground-ball outs.

"After the fourth inning, I got into my comfort zone and got quick outs. I needed a good outing to start the season, and I just didn't want to force my pitches tonight. It was a good win for our team and myself, and hope to keep it going in the right direction."

Obtained from Seattle over the winter, Broussard blew open a 1-0 game with his sixth career grand slam, blasting a 1-1 offering from Angels starter Dustin Moseley deep into the right field seats.

"I finally have a good opportunity to play here every day and I have to take advantage of it," Broussard said. "I just want to hit guys in when they are in scoring position and move guys over when I have to."

David Murphy, who also joined the club from Boston last season, opened the scoring when he scampered home on a wild pitch in the second inning. Playing in each of Texas' four games so far this season, Murphy is batting .429.

The Rangers got to Moseley in the fourth. Milton Bradley doubled with one out, Murphy walked and Moseley hit Marlon Byrd with a pitch, setting the stage for Broussard's blast.

"In that type of situation with the bases loaded, I feel like I have the advantage because I can look for a specific pitch to hit," Broussard said. "I got an offspeed pitch and all I was trying to do was hit a fly ball, but I got enough on it."

"I felt good the first couple of innings, and then I just lost my command," Moseley said. "My location was all over the zone and just couldn't make my pitches. They took advantage of my mistakes tonight and hit me hard."

After Hamilton tripled home Kinsler in the seventh to push the lead to 6-0, Texas put away the contest with five runs in the eighth.

Kinsler plated a pair with a ground-rule double and Michael Young singled in a run before Hamilton completed the rally with a two-run double.

Anaheim made a spirited comeback in the bottom of the ninth, plating six runs, but the deficit proved too big to overcome.