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Mathis, Duran helps Rangers avoid series sweep

Jun 9, 2008 - 2:23 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Doug Mathis did a good job of bouncing back from his last appearance in the "Lone Star" State.

Mathis pitched strongly into the sixth inning and fellow rookie German Duran homered to help the Texas Rangers avoid a three-game series sweep with Sunday's 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

In his last trip to the hill here, the rookie righthander was tagged for eight runs through just 3 2/3 innings against the Cleveland Indians on Monday.

But Mathis (2-1) made sure that didn't happen again, allowing two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings for his first career victory as a starter. He walked two and struck out one.

"It feels great to get the win but I was more concerned about getting the win for the team," Mathis said. "I felt good today, a lot better than I did during my last start. I felt more in control."

The 25-year-old's lone mistake came when B.J. Upton delivered a two-run blast to right-center field in the sixth frame.

"My pitch count was rather high and we still had a two-run lead," Mathis said. "There was no doubt I wanted to stay and finish the inning but, I was probably at my limit and leaving the game was the right thing to do."

While Mathis was enjoying success, Tampa Bay starter Matt Garza encounter problems from the Rangers as well as teammate Dioner Navarro.

Homers from David Murphy and Duran put Garza into a 3-0 hole before the real fireworks began with Navarro, who confronted the righthander at the mound for shaking off signs.

Things continued to heat up between the two in Tampa Bay's dugout, causing manager Joe Maddon and several others to separate Navarro and Garza (4-3), who didn't return after the scuffle.

After the game, the Rays sought to play down the incident.

"It was shoving, that was it," Maddon said. "It was nothing. Things happen on occasion and it's taken care of."

Garza spent 20 minutes behind closed doors with Maddon after the game, but Navarro agreed that the incident was behind them.

"It was just something that happened in the game and it's been taken care of," Navarro said. "It happens in the family. We're fine. We're brothers and sometimes the oldest brothers get into fights. It's all been straightened out."

Feelings ran high for Tampa Bay following the scuffle. Designated hitter Eric Hinske was ejected in the sixth by home plate umpire James Hoye for arguing a called third strike."

"It was a pretty ugly game. I thought the third strike was a ball," Hinske said. "I let him know I thought it was a bad call and he ran me. I thought it was a pretty quick trigger."

Texas added three more runs off reliever Jason Hammel, who gave up RBI singles to Gerald Laird and Marlon Byrd and a solo homer to Ramon Vazquez to make it 6-2.

"There was no doubt we needed this one today," Murphy said. "Even when you've lost a series you can't give up on the last game. Every win is important, even when you're squeaking out a win in the last game of a series."