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We get back to baseball after some delays in Baltimore. It seemed like a week, but it was actually only one day off. Anyway, we get back to the game with a nice 4-1 win in Tampa Bay. Now, granted, when you’re playing the team with the worst record in all of ball, you’re expected to win, but I’ll take the win just the same.
There was a real nice game pitched by Doug Davis, who is looking really good lately, going 8 innings, and giving up just a single run. Jeff ZImmerman came in for the save, and was spectacular.
Don’t know what else to say about this one – a real nice game all around.

Thursday’s 12:05 p.m. game against Baltimore has been postponed because of a train derailment and water main breakage near Camden Yards that happened Wednesday. As of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, the 6:05 p.m. game still was scheduled to be played. The day game had been postponed from Wednesday because heavy, black smoke billowed above Oriole Park after three train cars derailed in a tunnel and began leaking hazardous materials. As of Thursday morning, the train cars were still leaking and on fire in the tunnel. Doug Davis (4-7, 4.95) is scheduled to pitch for the Rangers on Thursday. Aaron Myette was originally scheduled to pitch the second game of the Baltimore series. Texas defeated Baltimore, 6-4, on Wednesday afternoon in Game 1 of the series.

I didn’t get to listen very well to this game, as I was working at the time, but it seemed that Rick Helling had a decent, if not great day, our bullpen is still going strong, and Catalanotto & Pudge had excellent games. Some nice defense too from both sides – looking forward to the old uniforms in Game 2. :)

Another stinker. Kenny Rogers is really starting to pitch poorly in his last few starts. With his back problems of late, I wonder if he’s not hurt?

What else can you say about this one? Hello Rob Bell!
Rob comes within a single pitch of getting the first complete game shutout by a Rangers starter in a long long time. Jerry Narron pulled Bell after 8.2 innings for Zimmerman. I would have loved to have him stay in there (as would everyone else at the park by the booing), but ultimately, we got the win, the shutout, and Bell was masterful!
Allowing only 6 hits over 8.2 innings, Rob Bell was awesome! About the only negative thing you could say was that he walked five batters (three of which were Bonds), but it didn’t seem to hurt him at all. At the moment, Melvin looks like a genius again, trading away Ruben Mateo, and getting a good, decent young pitcher in return. He must have worn out his welcome with the Reds, because the way he looked last night, I can’t imagine why they’d trade him away.
Anyway, it was great! Really hope he can keep this up, now that he’s had two great starts in a row.

I, along with lots of others at the Ballpark were here hoping for a Barry Bonds home run. Didn’t get it. What we did get we didn’t like, either.
This 7-6 loss was particularly annoying because it was one of those where we’d get some runs, and then give them right back. That kept on going on and on until late, when we had a chance to finish off the game, but couldn’t come through for a win.
In fact, I wasn’t feeling very good, and in a rare display of “weakness”, I left the game early. I abhor when people leave, but I didn’t get any sleep the night before – just about one hour. Was starting to not feel good. However, I didn’t miss much – we still lost.

Of course – after having won 11-0, we then go and lose 11-2.
The only thing worth talking about for this one was the fact that we were almost shut out. However, we broke that up late to remain the only major league team that has not been shut out all year.

I was at this game, and had an interesting time of it. My wife wasn’t feeling good, so I brought a friend of mine from work. He likes baseball, but had never been to a Rangers game at the Ballpark. He’d been at Arlington stadium, but in seven years, he’s never been to the Ballpark! :)
Anyway, this game was pretty much in the Rangers’ control all along – we had four home runs, two from my Rangers rookie of the year, Mike Young. Rick Helling had the Rockies pretty much in hand, allowing just one earned run over seven innings. Our team had an ERA of 2.00 for the entire game, which was great. Mike Hampton was shelled – which was a shock, I was expecting a 2-1 game. I didn’t get it, but I’ll certainly take the 10-2 victory. :)