Final
Hamilton, Rangers hope to avoid fourth straight loss
May 21, 2008 - 1:16 PM Texas (22-25) at Minnesota (23-22) 8:10 pm EDTMINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - Josh Hamilton and the Texas Rangers will look to snap a three-game losing skid Wednesday when they meet the Minnesota Twins in the third contest of a four-game series.
Despite the club's struggles, Hamilton has still managed to stay red-hot. He is 11-for-20 (.550) with three home runs and seven RBI over his last five games.
The 26-year-old Hamilton, who leads the American League with 51 RBI this season, has posted a team-leading .321 batting average with 11 blasts this season.
Twins starter Nick Blackburn (4-2, 3.77 ERA) will have the tough task of trying to shutdown Hamilton and the rest of the Rangers offense. The 26-year-old Blackburn has won four of his last five decisions.
The righthander pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits with five strikeouts in Friday's 4-2 triumph over the Colorado Rockies.
Texas will counter with Sidney Ponson (2-0, 3.52), who spent the 2007 campaign with Minnesota. He made just seven starts for the Twins, going 2-5 with a 6.93 ERA last season.
Ponson was tagged for seven runs - three earned - and nine hits with no walks and two strikeouts over five frames during a 16-8 win over the Houston Astros on Friday.
Minnesota is seeking its third straight win after cruising to an 11-4 victory over Texas on Tuesday.
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 0 2 10 17 0
MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: TEX - SIDNEY PONSON AND GERALD LAIRD
MIN - NICK BLACKBURN, JUAN RINCON (7TH), BOBBY KORECKY
(9TH) AND JOE MAUER
HOME RUNS: TEX - MICHAEL YOUNG (5) OFF NICK BLACKBU
May 21 10:34 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY GERALD LAIRD (4) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 9TH OFF BOBBY KORECKY.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 10, MINNESOTA 1
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: B BOGGS (.244, 1-FOR-4)
Rangers 10, Twins 1 Top 9, 0 OutsMay 21 10:27 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY DAVID MURPHY SCORED MARLON BYRD.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 9
MINNESOTA 1 TOP, 9TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: G LAIRD (.279, 1-FOR-3, HBP, RBI)
Rangers 9, Twins 1 Top 9, 0 OutsMay 21 10:26 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY DAVID MURPHY SCORED JOSH HAMILTON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D MURPHY ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 8
MINNESOTA 1 TOP, 7TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: G LAIRD (.279, 1-FOR-3, RBI)
Rangers 8, Twins 1 Top 7, 0 OutsMay 21 9:54 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY ALEXI CASILLA SCORED ADAM EVERETT.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 7
MINNESOTA 1 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MAUER (.333, 1-FOR-2)
Rangers 7, Twins 1 Bot 6, 0 OutsMay 21 9:42 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY IAN KINSLER (5) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF NICK BLACKBURN SCORED CHRIS SHELTON AND RAMON VAZQUEZ.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 7, MINNESOTA 0
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.280, 1-FOR-3, HR, RBI)
Rangers 7, Twins 0 Top 6, 0 OutsMay 21 9:35 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RAMON VAZQUEZ SCORED GERALD LAIRD AND BRANDON
BOGGS.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, R VAZQUEZ ON FIRST, C SHELTON ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 4
MINNESOTA 0 TOP, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.296, 0-FOR-3)
Rangers 4, Twins 0 Top 6, 0 OutsMay 21 9:34 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY GERALD LAIRD SCORED JOSH HAMILTON.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, G LAIRD ON FIRST, D MURPHY ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 0 TOP, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: B BOGGS (.250, 1-FOR-2)
Rangers 2, Twins 0 Top 6, 0 OutsMay 21 9:31 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY MICHAEL YOUNG (5) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF NICK BLACKBURN.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 1, MINNESOTA 0
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J HAMILTON (.323, 1-FOR-2)
Rangers 1, Twins 0 Top 6, 0 OutsMay 21 9:23 PM
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