Orioles @ Rangers (August 28th-31st)

[Molina00]

Rodrigo Lopez
vs.
Hank Blalock

Blalock strikes out to end the inning.

Rangers score 1.
Rangers lead 4-3 after 5 innings.

[Molina00]

Millwood sets the Orioles down in order in the 6th.

[Molina00]

DeRosa singles to rightfield to leadoff the bottom of the 6th.

[Molina00]

Texas is shut down in the 6th.

Rangers lead 4-3 going into the 7th.

[Molina00]

Millwood strikes out the first batters in the 7th and Kinsler caps it off with a nice sliding stop and throw to first.

[Molina00]

Bases loaded with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th.
Hank Blalock coming up.
Rodrigo Lopez is being pulled from the game.

[Molina00]

Blalock singles to right-centerfield. Two runs scores, Rangers lead 6-3.

Runners on the corners with 2 outs.

[Molina00]

DeRosa's rips it to the wall in rightfield. Two more runs come in to score and DeRosa is into 2nd with a 2-run double.

Now 8-3 Ranger lead.
Runner on 2nd, 2 out.

[Molina00]

Kinsler rips a single into centerfield. DeRosa scores to make it 9-3 Rangers. Runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 out.

[Molina00]

Game 1 Recap
The Rangers had their highest scoring game since August 16th against the Angels, a game that they won 9-3. On offense Michael Young went 2 for 5, Mark Teixeira had only 1 hit but it was good for his 22nd homerun of the year, and Blalock and DeRosa combined to go 5 for 8 with a double, 4 runs scored and 4 RBI.

Kevin Millwood allowed all 4 runs on 8 hits and struck out 8 Orioles and did not walk a batter. He went the distance for the complete game win throwing 106 pitches.

This was only the Rangers 3 complete game of the season, 2 of them coming from Millwood. His first complete game was also against the Orioles. On May 4th he allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits going 9 innings for the win. The only other CG by a Ranger was Kameron Loe against the Red Sox on May 12th. He pitched 5 scoreless innings in a game that was called due to rain. Loe's 5 inning CG is also the Rangers only shutout of the season.

[Molina00]

Game 2 Lineups

Baltimore Orioles
2B-Brian Roberts
3B-Melvin Mora
RF-Nick Markakis
SS-Miguel Tejada
DH-Jay Gibbons
1B-Kevin Millar
CF-David Newhan
C-Ramon Hernandez
LF-Brandon Fahey

Texas Rangers
CF-Gary Matthews Jr.
SS-Michael Young
1B-Mark Teixeira
LF-Carlos Lee
3B-Hank Blalock
RF-Mark DeRosa
DH-Matt Stairs
2B-Ian Kinsler
C-Gerald Laird

[Molina00]

Top of the 1st
Pitching for Texas: Robinson Tejada

Roberts took 12 pitches to draw a leadoff walk.
Mora flies out on the first pitch to rightfield. DeRosa makes the catch.

Roberts is into 2nd with a stolen base just beating the throw from Laird.

Markakis hits a homerun to rightfield to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead.
Tejada singles. Runner on 1st with 1 out.
Gibbons drills a double to the gap in right-centerfield. Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.
Millar draws the walk to load the bases with 1 out.
Newhan singles to centerfield, runner scores from 3rd. Orioles lead 3-0 with the bases loaded and only 1 out.
Hernandez flies out to deep leftfield, runner scores from 3rd. Orioles lead 4-0 with runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 out.
Fahey flies out to centerfield. Matthews makes the catch to end the nearly 30 minute top of the first.

Orioles 4-0.

[Molina00]

Kris Benson
vs.
Gary Matthews Jr.

Matthews leads off the inning with what looked like a single to centerfield but slides into 2nd with his 41st double of the year.

[Molina00]

Kris Benson
vs.
Michael Young

Young drills the pitch but right at secondbase for the out.

[Molina00]

Matthews is thrown out trying to steal 3rd base.
Bases empty with 2 outs now for Teixeira.