Final/11
Rangers eye third straight victory
Apr 22, 2009 - 4:29 AM By Jeff Mezydlo Stats Senior WriterTexas (6-7) at Toronto (10-5), 7:07 p.m. EDT
TORONTO (AP) -- Though they hadn't won away from home, the Texas Rangers felt confident heading into their current seven-game road trip.
Despite a rough start and rumors of their manager's uncertain future, the Rangers look for a third straight victory Wednesday night when they continue their three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Texas (6-7) held on for a 5-4 win over Toronto in Tuesday's series opener to improve to 1-3 on the road. The victory came two days after the Rangers rallied for a 6-5 win to avoid a three-game sweep by Kansas City at home.
The Rangers last won three in a row after sweeping Cleveland to open the season, then lost seven of eight before beating the Royals on Sunday.
"We're not thinking about how we're going to do in April, we're thinking about our next ball game," Rangers third baseman Michael Young said.
Though Texas is among the AL leaders with 85 runs, it has been inconsistent at the plate and has a 6.18 team ERA.
The Rangers hoped to carry over their momentum from Sunday's win over to Toronto, where they had won their previous two games against the Blue Jays.
"What I would hope that we see on this road trip is a little more consistency with the pitching and our hitting lineup," said Rangers president Nolan Ryan, who also gave a vote of confidence to manager Ron Washington.
Texas had just enough of both Monday. Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz each hit two-run homers for the Rangers, whose 26 home runs lead the majors. Frank Francisco pitched 1 2-3 innings for his second save for Texas, which concludes the road swing with four games in Baltimore.
Kinsler, the co-AL player of the week, is batting .453 on the season and is 17-for-33 with four homers and 10 RBIs during his eight-game hitting streak.
Matt Harrison (0-2, 8.44 ERA) takes the ball for the Rangers after allowing six runs and eight hits in five innings of a 12-3 loss to Kansas City on Friday.
"Overall, I was falling behind too much," the left-hander told the Rangers' official Web site. "I need to attack more than I have been."
Harrison, against whom right-handed batters are hitting .438, will make his first appearance against Toronto.
The Blue Jays (10-5), whose hot start has them atop the AL East standings, endured a rough outing from ace Roy Halladay on Monday after their staff allowed two runs over the previous two contests.
David Purcey (0-1, 6.46) hopes to master his command as his makes his fourth start for the Blue Jays. He allowed five runs and four hits while walking four in 3 2-3 innings, but didn't factor in the decision of an 8-5 loss to Oakland on Friday and has issued 13 walks while striking out 17 in three starts.
"I think David sometimes loses concentration," manager Cito Gaston told the Blue Jays' official Web site. "He has to focus a little bit more out there."
The left-hander allowed five runs in five innings of an 8-4 loss at Texas on Aug. 3, his only previous appearance against Rangers.
Aaron Hill hit his fifth home run and Lyle Overbay added two hits Tuesday for Toronto, which has yet to lose consecutive games.
Hill is batting .368 with 15 RBIs and has hit safely in 14 of the 15 games.
Home plate umpire Kerwin Danley left the field on a stretcher after being hit in the head by a broken bat Tuesday, and it is uncertain if he will work the remainder of the series.
- AL
FINAL 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- - - - - - - - -
TEXAS 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 3
TORONTO 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 0 0
10 11 R H E
-- -- - - -
TEXAS 0 0 7 10 1
TORONTO 0 1 8 17 1 (FINAL 11)
BATTERIES: TEX
Apr 22 10:56 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY KEVIN MILLAR SCORED VERNON WELLS.
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO 8, TEXAS 7
Rangers 7, Blue Jays 8 Bot 11, 0 OutsApr 22 10:56 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY MICHAEL YOUNG (4) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 9TH OFF B.J. RYAN.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 7, TORONTO 7
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: D MURPHY (.000, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
Rangers 7, Blue Jays 7 Top 9, 0 OutsApr 22 9:55 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY JOSH HAMILTON SCORED IAN KINSLER.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 6
TORONTO 7 TOP, 9TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.291, 2-FOR-4, RBI)
Rangers 6, Blue Jays 7 Top 9, 0 OutsApr 22 9:54 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY AARON HILL ALLOWED CHRIS DAVIS TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, I KINSLER ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 5
TORONTO 7 TOP, 9TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: O VIZQUEL (.429, 2-FOR-4)
Rangers 5, Blue Jays 7 Top 9, 0 OutsApr 22 9:52 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
FIELDER'S CHOICE BY MARLON BYRD SCORED MICHAEL YOUNG.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M BYRD ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 4
TORONTO 7 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: N CRUZ (.294, 1-FOR-2, BB)
Rangers 4, Blue Jays 7 Top 8, 0 OutsApr 22 9:34 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ADAM LIND SCORED AARON HILL.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A LIND ON FIRST, V WELLS ON SECOND, A RIOS
ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 3
TORONTO 7 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: S ROLEN (.302, 0-FOR-3)
Rangers 3, Blue Jays 7 Bot 6, 0 OutsApr 22 9:11 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ALEX RIOS SCORED JOSE BAUTISTA.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A RIOS ON FIRST, A HILL ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 3
TORONTO 6 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: V WELLS (.262, 0-FOR-3)
Rangers 3, Blue Jays 6 Bot 6, 0 OutsApr 22 9:05 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY MICHAEL YOUNG SCORED OMAR VIZQUEL.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M YOUNG ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 3
TORONTO 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: A JONES (.438, 0-FOR-2)
Rangers 3, Blue Jays 5 Top 5, 0 OutsApr 22 8:32 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ALEX RIOS SCORED JOSE BAUTISTA.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, A RIOS ON FIRST, A HILL ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
TORONTO 5 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: V WELLS (.266, 0-FOR-2)
Rangers 2, Blue Jays 5 Bot 4, 0 OutsApr 22 8:23 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ROD BARAJAS (2) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF MATT HARRISON SCORED KEVIN MILLAR.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2, TORONTO 4
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: J BAUTISTA (.286, 1-FOR-1)
Rangers 2, Blue Jays 4 Bot 4, 0 OutsApr 22 8:16 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA SCORED NELSON CRUZ AND
CHRIS DAVIS.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J SALTALAMACCHIA ON FIRST, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
TORONTO 2 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.444, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 2, Blue Jays 2 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 22 7:47 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ROD BARAJAS (1) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 2ND OFF MATT HARRISON SCORED KEVIN MILLAR.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0, TORONTO 2
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: J BAUTISTA (.259, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
Rangers 0, Blue Jays 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 22 7:35 PM
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