-Stroman hasn’t faced the Rangers this season, and Hamels hasn’t gone up against the Blue Jays.
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As a group they held the Toronto Blue Jays scoreless over seven innings, one of the keys to their 6-4 win in the 14-inning marathon that improved Texas to 2-0 in the best-of-five series that returns to Arlington Sunday night.
Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson homered. “If it goes the other way, we live with it and move on”. The cutoff man was shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who happened to be standing on the bag. “It’s not where you want to be but that’s what we’re faced with”. It’s up to Marco Estrada to keep the series alive in a matchup with Martin Perez at Globe Life Park.
“This is an uphill battle but it’s been done before”, Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin said.
Kansas City Royals’ Alcides Escobar reacts after hitting a triple during the seventh inning of Game 2 in baseball’s American League Division Series against the Houston Astros, Friday, October 9, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. Rasmus doubled in a run in the first inning, and Springer added a two-run knock in the second as restless Royals fans began to shower their ace with boos. They can keep coming.
“It’s extremely special for him”, Rangers first-year manager Jeff Banister said.
Texas shut out the highest-scoring team in the majors after the fifth inning. George Springer also drove in a pair of runs after hitting a solo shot in the series opener. Pinch-hitter Mike Napoli singled to bring DeShields home and tie the game 4-4.
Another packed crowd at Rogers Centre that made a lot of noise early was quiet at the very end. Beltre, injured when sliding into second base as Prince Fielder hit into an inning-ending double play in the first, had difficulty running and was replaced by rookie Hanser Alberto in the bottom of third. “When the plate starts expanding it makes it even more hard”, said center fielder Kevin Pillar.
“It’s a big game for us, I mean we’re at home…”
Odor was called safe and would go on to register the go-ahead run on Alberto’s single to right-centre.
The Jays trailed 2-0 after an eventful first inning that saw Stroman need 23 pitches to get his first out and Colabello to throw him a lifeline with a remarkable fielding display. The home team certainly took issue with home-plate umpire Vic Carapazza’s strike zone.
“Just to let it slip away late is kind of a downer”, Astros reliever Tony Sipp said.
He said his back was “all right”, but couldn’t say whether he would be good to go. He took a knee to the head while breaking up a double play.
That play followed a brief bench-clearing incident that followed after Donaldson hit a long ball into the left-field seats that was just foul.
Two batters later, Edwin Encarnacion launched a deep fly ball to left-center that looked like it could be a walk-off homer, but DeShields reeled it in on the warning track.
“We made eye contact and exchanged a few words”, said Donaldson. I’m sure he was doing his best back there. “I’ll leave it at that”.
Rob Manfred doesn’t think the Toronto Blue Jays are getting any unfair treatment in the post-season. He left after a leadoff single by DeShields, and Shin-Soo Choo put down a sacrifice bunt against Brett Cecil. Texas struck for two quick runs in the first and had runners on second and third with one out. Napoli was picked off first to end the inning and Cecil, who made the tag in the rundown, limped off the field.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Donaldson felt light-headed while playing defense in the top of the fifth, forcing the AL MVP candidate to come out of the game.
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Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton finished 0 for 6 and is hitless in his past 30 postseason at-bats.
