Ben Sheets started this game, and pitched every much like the old Ben Sheets from Milwaukee. While I haven’t followed his stats this season, I got the impression he’s been kind of middling. Not as far leaning on the crap scale as Rich Harden has been, but definitely not as advertised. But this was definitely not that. This was good old Ben Sheets. The one that shut the Rangers down for six innings. He allowed just three hits, one earned run, and struck out eight. It wasn’t the lengthiest outing, but while he was out there, there was no doubt – this was old school Sheets.
He was matched against CJ Wilson, the Rangers’ best starter of the season so far. CJ actually pitched better than Sheets, which was important to the win. CJ went seven, giving up four hits and one earned run. Didn’t strike out as many (five), but walked the same number (three). CJ lowered his season ERA to an amazing 1.48. Good stuff there.
The biggest story I suppose – to most fans is the way it ended, with Vlad Guerrero knocking in the winning run in the bottom of the 12th. From a “Chicks Dig the Longball” mentality, I can see why most people would pick that as the moment of the game.
But for me it was the Sheets/Wilson pitching performances that excited me the most about this game.
Still, it’s fun to watch the guys go nuts at the end of the game like that. :)