A playoff game that began in the lunch hour had stretched until dinner time. Glares were exchanged and words too, but nothing came of it. Ross Ohlendorf struck out the side in the bottom of the 14th in recording the save.
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The Texas Rangers captured the first game of their American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-3 victory in Game 1 on Thursday.
Every game is important.
Which brings us to today’s game. After all, this team had two 11-game win streaks this season.
“It’s extremely special for him“, Rangers first-year manager Jeff Banister said. (The replay showed it was clearly off the plate, but Vic Carapazza’s erratic strike zone was an irritant to both teams, all day long.) Justin Smoak went down swinging for the second out. That’s who we are.
There were gutsy performances all-round in an entertaining game that started with a bit of everything before settling back to the expected showdown between Stroman and Hamels.
The Rangers are 7-0 all time in the postseason when playing in a domed stadium. They won each of the past 10 games he’s started.
Keone Kela (1-0) worked one inning for the win, staying calm after a dustup with Toronto slugger Josh Donaldson.
The bench-clearing incident entailed little more than shouting. Afterward, Kela declined comment on the fracas. Beltre was hurt sliding into second base as Prince Fielder hit into an inning-ending double play in the first inning of Thursday’s 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
However, Odor’s foot bounced off the base as the shortstop tried to get his glove down on the Rangers runner’s outstretched leg. Whether or not Odor got his foot back on the bag fast enough or if Tulowitzki tagged him in time was debatable.
“I was safe”, Odor said. “I know the way he pitches and how he likes to attack the hitters”. Alberto, a third baseman, singled to center to score Odor.
Choo sacrificed DeShields to second.
A wild contest, that included a 13th inning dugout clearing stare down, was decided when Texas staged a two out rally in the 14th with Hanser Alberto, filling in for injured Adrian Beltre, and Delino DeShields driving in runs. The hard-throwing lefty also surrendered a pair of home runs, including one to Odor, who is not exactly a household name.
“In the postseason, everybody’s really important”, Alberto said. “Everything is a go unless they tell me different”.
“Hopefully he can bounce back and be back in the lineup tomorrow”, catcher Russell Martin said. Look, we like all five of our starters. The best performance out of the relief group came from Jake Diekman, who didn’t give up a hit in two innings to set up the closing session by Sam Dyson, who did give up one hit but never let it get carried away. Chirinos put Texas ahead 4-1 with a two-run shot in the fifth inning, but the Blue Jays got within 4-3 before Odor went deep to complete the scoring.
The lone Toronto lineup change has Chris Colabello in for Justin Smoak at first base.
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Kazmir, who was acquired from Oakland, limited the Royals to three hits in seven scoreless innings on July 24 in his Astros debut but was clubbed in his final three regular-season starts, yielding 15 runs and 22 hits, including five home runs, for an 11.57 ERA. After the trade, he’s gone from pitching for the worst team in the league to an AL playoff contender.
