Rangers @ Blue Jays (April 27th-30th)

[Molina00]

Game 1 Recap
After failing to win a game since their 4-3 nail-biter aganst the A's on Sunday, the Rangers have finally gotten back on the winning track thanks to some 3rd inning homerun heroics and a solid outting from Robinson Tejeda.

The game was scoreless going into the 3rd inning with Josh Towers pitching for the Blue Jays when things finally got going. With Ian Kinsler on base and nobody out, Brad Wilkerson hit a 2-run homerun to give Texas a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, with 2 away, Mark Teixeira hit his first homerun of the year (a 2-run shot) followed by a solo shot from Sammy Sosa (his 595th of his career). The 3 homerun attack gave Texas a 5-0 lead. The Rangers would not score again, but thanks to 5.1 solid innings from Tejeda and a dominating bullpen performance, the 5 runs would be all the Rangers needed.

The Blue Jays got 3 runs off Tejeda total thanks to a couple of homeruns to make it a 5-3 game, but Ranger relievers Frankie Francisco, Joaquin Benoit, and Aki Otsuka combined to strike out 7 over 3.2 hitless innings of relief to shut down the Toronto offense.

Texas went on to win 5-3 and snap their 3 game losing skid.

[Molina00]

Game 2 Recap
Rangers with another nail-biter today in a see-saw battle victory over the Blue Jays. The Rangers broke through first with 2 runs in the 2nd inning off Toronto starter Chacin. The Blue Jays countered in the bottom of the inning with a run to make it a 2-1 game. The Rangers scored again in the 5th and 6th including Gerald Laird's first homerun of the year in the 6th to take a 4-1 lead. Rangers starter Millwood had allowed just 1 run over 5 innings before getting bombed for 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th, including a Frank Thomas homerun, which put the Jays up 5-4. The Rangers tied it up in the 7th with Mark Teixeira's 2nd homer of the year off Shaun Marcum. The Jays regained the lead in the 8th with a 2-run homerun from Adam Lind putting the Rangers down 7-5. Blue Jays closer Jason Frasor came on to close out the game, but got more than he bargained for as the Rangers tatooed him for 3 runs to take an 8-7 lead, and in came Aki to close the door for Texas. The Blue Jays managed a 9th inning run to tie the game at 8 and force extra innings instead, giving Aki his first blown save of the season. Against Brian Tallet in the 10th inning, Hank Blalock redeemed himself for a previous fielding error by hitting a sac fly to the outfield which scored Michael Young to give Texas a 9-8 lead. Joaquin Benoit pitched a scoreless bottom of the 10th to notch the save and the Rangers are now 2-0 in the 4 game set against Toronto.

[Molina00]

After winning the first 2 games of the series the Rangers bats failed in the final two games and they had to settle for a series split.

In game 3, Brandon McCarthy started for Texas and continued his struggled lasting only 3 innings and allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks. Willie Eyre was impressive throwing 3 scoreless innings though. The Rangers offense was dominated by Tomo Ohka who allowed just 1 run through 7 innings and picked up the win. Ian Kinsler supplied most of the Rangers offense hitting his 9th homerun of the season, a 2-run shot off Shaun Marcum in the 9th. The Blue Jays went on to win 7-3.

In last night's series finale, the Ranger bats were once again dominated by the Toronto pitching. This time it was former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay striking out 8 and allowing just 1 run on 5 hits in a complete game win. Vicente Padilla started for Texas and had one of his better games of the year giving up 4 runs over 7 innings for the loss. Kenny Lofton stole 2 bases in the game giving him 11 for the season and also scored the Rangers only run. Lofton was driven in on a double by Sammy Sosa. The Blue Jays went on to win 6-1 and the Rangers fell to 10-15 on the season.