G101: Rangers win game 2 of DH, beat Mariners 4-3

Kameron Loe pitched the first inning like the Loe from the first part of this season. While he didn’t give up any actual runs, he did pitch like he was in quicksand, throwing something like 25 or so pitches. That did NOT look promising. Couple that with a 30 pitch fifth inning, and one wonders how the heck he managed to throw into the seventh inning. 55 pitches in two means the other frames had some small pitch counts. :)

Loe actually was pretty decent until the fifth when the Mariners scored all their runs. The first one scored three of the four of the first five batters of the inning singled. It actually would have been worse had Gerald Laird not picked off Betancourt from second. Raul Ibanez was at the plate on a disputed call – The Rangers thought they had stuck him out to end the inning – they were walking off the field, and home plate umpire Jim Reynolds said that he had not, it was a foul. This of course bought a cascade of boos from the fans in the park. It got worse on the next pitch when Ibanez doubled to the alley in right center, scoring two more. Reynolds was the target of some booing that would have done Philadelphia fans proud. I was listening in the park, and they said on the radio that it did appear to bounce, but that was a bad feeling. At that moment, you thought that it would be the game breaker.

The Rangers did follow it right up with two more of their own, tying the game at three. But this game was powered by Travis Metcalf. Metcalf went 4 for 4 tonight, scoring one, and driving in one – but the one he drove in was the important one. In the bottom of the 8th, he doubled to left, scoring Gerald Laird. Metcalf had a triple earlier in the game, that was his major league first. The four hits was also a career best for him, as the radio guys said he never got more than two in a game before.

CJ Wilson relieved Loe, going 1.1 innings, giving up no hits, while striking out 3 of the four outs made on his ledger. He was followed by Eric Gagne again. Gagne did mostly the same thing as the first game. Allowed a single to lead off his frame, then not allowing much else. Gagne saved both ends of the doubleheader, as well as a pitching the night before – three appearances in 24 hours.

While Loe wasn’t crisp, he hung in there and battled well. Our pen kept it good, and allowed us to come back and get the win. I was at the doubleheader sweeps in 2004 when we beat the Red Sox & the Pirates. I love doubleheaders anyway – but they’re a heck of a lot better when your team wins both ends of ’em.

This picture was taken from the same location the picture I posted with game one was taken from – couldn’t decide which to post, as I like both, so I posted one per game. :)