A very thrilling win. A game that we won clutch in the end, that we shouldn’t have had to win. We started off big, putting up a four spot in the first – it could have been more, but Arod was thrown out at the plate during the first. Pudge capped the four run inning with a two run home run. It felt good after the first. However, Tampa’s pitching shut us down for almost the entire rest of the game. We didn’t have any runs (or much else) after the first, and didn’t score again until the eighth. However, Tampa did. They picked away at the lead (including a couple of home runs – one from Ben Grieve), and in the top of the ninth, tied the game 5-5.
Then Pudge stepped up in the bottom of the ninth, and jacked a home run ball over the fence for the win. It was really nice to see the Rangers come out and mob him at home plate, all jubilant (except Carl Everett, who probably thought that was beneath him and was being Mr Slow ass even there).
A really nice win over Tampa Bay. Ismael Valdes had to come out of the game early, which is not a good sign. Especially if we’re trying to trade him. I don’t want to, but we may end up doing so.