The Rangers took to the field in a series against the slumping Mariners on Monday night. Even as a Rangers fan, I have to say coming into this season, I thought the Mariners would be not so much the team to beat, but at least be a good team this year. Much improved, and possibly if all the cards fell right be able to make a run at the division title. However, the cards did not fall right for Seattle this season. Although you couldn’t tell that to Cliff Lee.
Lee pitched like his “name” would imply he’d pitch. He was the Cliff Lee I remember watching Phillies games last year. He was NOT the Cliff Lee the Rangers murdered on opening day last season. While the final score was 4-2, it was’t nearly as close as that. The only two runs the Rangers got were in the bottom of the ninth. On top of that, the Rangers had seven hits total, and three of them came in the bottom of the ninth. Given the way Lee pitched the rest of the game, I’d say he was running out of gas. But still. Two runs on seven hits for a complete game? Yeah, I don’t know any team that wouldn’t take that. If you take the ninth out of it, he gave up no runs and just four hits. He was dominant.
The Rangers starter was Scott Feldman, who likely would have won this game had it been any other opponent besides Cliff Lee. Feldman went 5.2, and gave up nine hits (bit too many), but just four runs (one unearned). Not a great line, but not godawful, and under most circumstances, probably would have been enough to win the game.
All seven Rangers hits were singles, and we didn’t walk once. No Ranger had more than a single hit, so nobody was really able to zero in on Lee, either.
Gotta give it to Cliff Lee. If only Seattle had another three of him to go with Felix Hernandez… :)