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Ponson tosses complete game, Rangers rout Twins

May 22, 2008 - 4:06 AM By Anthony Maggio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - Nights like Wednesday are why Sidney Ponson keeps getting opportunities. The hefty righthander hasn't had a ERA under five since 2003, yet he threw a complete game against the Minnesota Twins to remain undefeated in 2008.

A day short of the year anniversary of his release from the Twins, Ponson tossed his first complete game in three years and got plenty of run support as the Texas Rangers coasted to a 10-1 victory over his former team.

Ian Kinsler hit his fourth home run of the month - a three-run blast - which capped a seven-run sixth inning and help Texas end a three-game slide and a six-game losing streak in Minneapolis.

Ponson (3-0), who was let go by Minnesota after compiling a 2-5 record and 6.93 ERA in seven starts in 2007, threw the 29th complete game of his career but first since 2005. He got 18 groundball outs with his effective sinker.

Despite struggling in stints with the Orioles, Yankees, Cardinals and Twins since the 2004 season, Rangers manager Ron Washington won't say Ponson has gone above and beyond expectations this season.

"Sidney's not doing anything that he hasn't done before," Washington said. "It's just that it's been a long time since he's done it."

"I don't know how to put my finger on it," Ponson said. "I feel the same way I did last year, but last year I don't think my mechanics were where they were supposed to be. My mechanics were much better tonight than my last two starts. My sinker was going down instead of going sideways."

Still, Ponson was locked in a pitchers' duel with Nick Blackburn (4-3) before the wheels came off for the rookie in the sixth.

Michael Young snapped the scoreless tie with a leadoff homer to left field. It was Young's second homer in his last six games following an 18-game drought. After Josh Hamilton singled, Marlon Byrd followed with a tailor-made double-play ball to Adam Everett at shortstop.

However, second baseman Alexi Casilla dropped the throw and both runners were safe. David Murphy's fielder's choice put runners on the corners and Gerald Laird ripped an RBI single up the middle.

"Again a mistake turns into all kinds of runs, and we know that around here," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We've seen it too many times this year."

Brandon Boggs' fielder's choice put runners on first and second with two outs and Chris Shelton followed with a slow grounder up the middle.

Everett managed to make a diving stop in shallow center field while Laird turned for home, but he threw a slow one-hopper to Joe Mauer. By the time the ball got there, Laird was close enough to third base to avoid a potential inning ending rundown.

Ramon Vazquez delivered a two-run single and Kinsler followed with his three-run blast to put Texas up, 7-0.

"Michael broke through with the home run and from that point on everything that they left over the plate that he (Blackburn) didn't get where he wanted to get it we hit pretty good," Washington said.

Blackburn struck out Young to end the inning and his night. The Twins' top pitching prospect allowed seven runs - one earned - and 10 hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Casilla hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning to get the Twins on the board. However, Texas tacked on three more runs thanks to a pair of RBI doubles from Murphy and a solo homer from Laird in the ninth.

Ponson now has a run support average of 9.08 this season, but his ERA is 2.95 after allowing just one earned run for the fourth time in six starts since being called up from Class AAA Oklahoma.

"This spring I talked to him and told him that opportunity don't knock on everyone's door that often," Washington said. "We know what he's capable of doing, but he needs to go out there and stay focused and he has to do it. He's really been focused.

Mauer was the player to record more than one hit for Minnesota, which lost for the fourth time in its last six home games.