Including Friday, the Rangers have three regular-season games remaining, all against the Angels.
Advertisement
Texas Rangers’ Adrian Beltre (29) follows through on a bases…
“He’s playing with two fingers right now, but he’s the kind of person who’s always going to be out there”, Elvis Andrus said.
This is a must-win game for the Angels if they’re going to have a shot at a wild card spot.
The music was a little louder in the Texas clubhouse, and there was the faint smell of champagne. There were a lot of hugs and high-fives, but they’re not having a big celebration until they win the division.
“If I burry that slider, it’s a zero”, said Richards, “That’s three runs off the board and we’re partying tonight and that’s it – I feel responsible for it. It’s something I’m gonna have to forget about quickly, and get ready to pitch in three days, it is what it is”. We still have a mission to accomplish – something as a group of players we all talked about in spring training when nobody was talking about it but us.
Just two nights ago, the Los Angeles Angels were in control of their playoff destiny and in the midst of making a furious charge at possibly defending their American League West crown.
Coming off a 67-95 record in 2014, and facing injuries to Yu Darvish and Derek Holland, it seemed unlikely that Texas would return to the playoffs, but they did. Why?
“The whole time everybody was anxious about how I was performing and I didn’t want to let any of that stuff affect me”, Holland said. They were able to string together a few good at-bats in the fifth.
Lefthander Derek Holland picked up the win for the Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington, improving to 4-3 after holding the Angels to three runs on three hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out six batters while walking three. The left-hander struck out six, including Kole Calhoun three times.
Josh Hamilton’s second-inning double was his first extra-base hit a home run August 14.
Josh Hamilton, playing against the team that essentially gave him back to the Rangers earlier this season, made a running over-the-shoulder catch in left field as he went to his knees and crashed into the wall. Craig Kimbrel picked up his 39th save as the Padres bullpen worked a seventh consecutive scoreless game covering 22 2/3 innings.
TWINS 4, INDIANS 2 (at Cleveland) – Pinch-runner Eduard Nunez scored from third base on a wild pitch and Torii Hunter hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning for Minnesota. Hamilton scrambled to his feet to get the ball back in as Pujols raced back to the bag to tag up.
“That was a big catch, a big play in the game”, Mike Trout said.
Manager Mike Scioscia added: “I’m not surprised”.
Rangers fifth. Andrus singled to left.
Advertisement
He became the sixth pitcher to make at least 30 starts and throw 180 innings the past seven seasons.
