Arlington, Texas – The Texas Rangers have won their last 11 games started by Cole Hamels. They mashed the ball, they played solid defence, they pitched well enough to never let the opposition back into it. It was foot-on-the-throat stuff, and it sends the series back to Toronto for the Blue Jays’ third elimination game in a row – only now the Rangers must also win or go home.
Advertisement
Still, the two pitchers’ 2015 performances against righties-.264/.337/.511 with 10 HR in 202 PA for Holland, .260/.301/.416 with 13 homers in 392 PA for Lewis-appeared to point to the latter against a Toronto team that set a single-season record with 200 homers by righthanded batters. Tons of treatment to be honest with you.
“He pitched well [in Game 2] and didn’t even have his good slider”, a talent evaluator said, referencing what most consider to be Stroman’s best pitch.
“What we didn’t want to happen is a couple guys on base”, said Gibbons. This one was over quickly as the Blue Jays scored three in the first and cruised to and easy 8-4 decision.
“It was definitely huge and in the moment I was definitely pumped up. The other day, when he said he was going to get a Blue Jays cap”, Andrew said. “The fact that he has been there before is really, I think, the biggest confidence boost”.
That was two innings after he drew a bases-loaded walk.
Hamels was the World Series MVP in 2008, and Stroman will be making his second career post-season start. “If he catches fire, we’re real unsafe”. There is no question his “stuff” will be at it’s usual high level on Wednesday, the question will be “Can Marcus Stroman contain his emotions?”
Gibbons said Price is “not here to be abused” and that he wouldn’t count on the star lefty being available for Game 5 at Rogers Centre.
“We’ve been in this situation before”. Still noticeably injured, Beltre came back in game four to provide the Rangers the only offense of the day.
Texas left-hander Martin Perez, somewhat a surprise pick as the Game 3 starter over veterans Derek Holland and Colby Lewis, gave up four runs and six hits while pitching into the sixth.
Toronto was up 7-0 after the top of the third inning and won 8-4 after a few patchy relief work from David Price.
Maddux didn’t personally know Hamels before the pitcher got to Texas, but quickly found out how grounded and motivated the lefty is. Holland gave up three home runs, and Texas fell to 1-9 all-time in ALDS home games. Those series-opening losses were a shock to the system for most Jays’ fans, who had grown accustomed to the team’s relentless progression in the second half of the season. Banister said Tuesday that he hadn’t heard anything new from his training staff about Beltre’s condition.
Before a bloodthirsty crowd of 44,276 in the first postseason game at Citi Field, the Mets broke their postseason scoring record as New York public enemy Chase Utley watched from the Los Angeles bench. The first 57 ABs came in 15 playoff games in 2007 and 2009 for the Colorado Rockies, who traded the shortstop to Toronto on July 27.
The right-hander with the creative cadre of deliveries will take the mound for Kansas City in Game 5 of the AL Division Series against the Astros. Of the Blue Jays’ 12 hits, seven were for extra bases. And with one out in the second, he allowed a homer to No. 8 hitter Kevin Pillar.
“We were in real good position all night long. That means they’re staying on the baseball a bit”.
Tulo made certain it was.
Dickey made his first career postseason appearance a memorable one, even if he didn’t qualify for the win.
The Rangers are in danger of becoming only the third team in Major League Baseball history to lose a best-of-five series after winning the first two games of the series away from home.
Advertisement
“I enjoy the pressure, I enjoy the spotlight”, he said. “It’s poetic, is what it is for me”. As the primary cities of English Canada and French Canada, two cultures famously called the “Two Solitudes” by novelist Hugh MacLennan, sports have always been one more front in a protracted rivalry.
