The Texas Rangers seem to have gotten hot once again.
Unfortunately, it may be too late. Today, they try to keep their fleeting
postseason hopes alive when they go for a sweep in their three-game set
against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
On Saturday the Rangers picked up their second game in two days on both the
Red Sox and Angels in the wild card standings and American League West race,
respectively, as Marlon Byrd homered twice and drove in five runs and Josh
Hamilton knocked in four, helping Texas to a 15-3 victory.
With Boston losing in New York, and the Angels falling to Oakland, Texas is
six games back of the Red Sox and five off the pace of LA. A critical four-
game set against the Angels is on tap for next week.
Julio Borbon and David Murphy had two RBI each, Chris Davis was 4-for-5 with
two runs scored and Ivan Rodriguez collected three of Texas' 19 hits, scored
twice and drove in one. Ian Kinsler homered and scored twice in the rout.
Kevin Millwood (12-10) hurled a solid seven innings for the win, allowing
three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits.
Matt Garza (8-11) was torched for seven runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings for
the Rays, who have dropped three of four.
Jason Bartlett was 2-for-3 with an RBI double and Gregg Zaun homered in
defeat.
Hoping to get the Rangers closer today will be right-hander Brandon McCarthy,
who has lost his last two starts. McCarthy was charged with the loss on
Tuesday in Oakland, as he allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits in 5
1/3 frames, dropping him to 7-4 to go along with a 4.87 ERA.
McCarthy has faced the Rays six times (five starts) and is 1-2 with a 5.47
ERA.
Tampa Bay will counter with 24-year-old lefty David Price, who is 9-7 with a
4.41 ERA. Price won for the third time in his last four decisions last Sunday
against Toronto, as he surrendered a run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Price has lost both of his starts to the Rangers and has given up nine runs in
8 1/3 innings of those outings.
Texas, which swept the Rays in a three-game set Arlington in early July, has
won six of eight from the Rays this season.
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