As I put this page together on Monday morning, I’ve had only 5 hours sleep in the last two days – my recall of the game is next to nothing. We’ll have to rely on Jim’s commentary today. :)
I can say this. The Rangers pitching (in particular Danny Patterson) let the Twins get much closer than they should have been in the 9th inning. This was a very well pitched game until the 9th.
Commentary by Jim Meeks:
The Rangers coasted Sunday and swept the Minnesota Twins 9-5, behind the pitching of Rick Helling and from solid support from the bottom of the batting order.
Helling, who gave up just 2 earned runs in 7 innings, was very sharp again and looks to be back to form, after his terrible start of the season.
Helling found all the help he needed from the six, seven and eight batters in the lineup. Todd Zeile, Lee Stevens and Gregg Zahn – who was filling in so that Ivan Rodriguez could get a needed two-day rest, combined to go 6-14, with a double, 3 homers and 7 runs batted in. Zeile had a homer in the second to give Helling a lead he would never relinquish, while Stevens added 2 solo shots, the first being a tremendous blow.
The Rangers have now finished their longest road trip in team history in terms of mileage and I’m sure they’ll be smiling on their way back to the Metroplex. The team sandwiched two lousy series with two series sweeps; sweeping the Mariners at the Kingdome and now the Twinkies at the Baggiedome.