Michael Young = Clutch
Michael Young does it again in the 9th, hitting a 2 run go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth as the Rangers came back from being down 4-1. Young now has 3 home runs in the last five days in the ninth inning of games. Two of those home runs won the game for the Rangers, (including tonight's) while the other tied it up.
Rangers pitcher Vincente Padilla had a shaky couple of innings but overall did OK and pulled it together to go 6 2/3 while allowing 4 ER on 8 hits. Padilla had a perfect game through 3 innings but his 4th inning wasn't very good as he allowed 3 runs and 4 hits in the inning while also committing a balk that scored one of those 3 runs. His 5th inning wasn't great either in that he allowed 3 hits and managed to get out of the inning only allowing 1 run making it 4-1 Orioles. But Vincente pulled it together in the 6th inning, striking out the first 2 batters he faced and then getting Orioles SS Cesar Izturis to ground out to second. After consecutive ground outs by 2b Brian Roberts and CF Adam (Pacman?) Jones, Padilla hit Nick Markakis in the left knee, which brought out Rangers manager Ron Washington to make the pitching change.
The Rangers offense didn't have much luck early in the game as Baltimore Orioles pitcher Koji Uehara pitched a gem. Ranger hitters were early and under Uehara's pitches all night long as high popups were hit into the air consistantly. Uehara had pinpoint control on all of his pitches tonight as he went 6 and 2/3 just as Padilla; but only allowing 2 ER and while also getting 6 strikeouts. The Rangers had to work hard for those two runs. In the top of the third after a Chris Davis strikeout, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a broken bat double to the right field corner. Elvis Andruws moved Salty to third on a flyout to left, then came Ian Kinsler. Ian lined a single to left which scored Saltalamacchia making it 1-0 Rangers at the time. This also tied him for 3rd in the AL in RBI's (17). In the top of the 7th Hammerin Hank Blalock came up to bat and lived up to his nickname absolutely crushing a homerun over the right field wall making it 4-2 Orioles. A groundout from Marlon Byrd and a flyout (another high pop-up) from Nelson Cruz later, Uehara was done for the night.
In came the Baltimore bullpen. Jim (Jimmy?) Johnson came in for the eighth and the Ranger's hitters were ready. After getting Ian Kinsler on a bunt groundout to start the inning, Michael Young hit a single to right center field. Josh Hamilton lined out to center to make it 2 outs in the inning but the Rangers weren't done yet. Hank Blalock came up and hit a single which moved Young to third. Marlon Byrd hit a slow grounder to the Baltimore SS Izturis, and he hesitated for a split second before throwing to first. This mini-bobble allowed Marlon Byrd, who looked as if he was shot out of a canon from the batters box, to get an infield single and score Young from third making it 4-3 Orioles. Orioles Closer George Sherril came into the game after the run and got Chris Davis to strike out, ending the inning.
C.J. Wilson came in for the Rangers in the bottom of the eighth, and his wild play continued. Wilson got a groundout by Orioles DH Luke Scott to start the inning, then walked (.116 hitter) Catcher Greg Zaun. C.J. then threw a wild pitch which allowed Zaun to move to second. After a foul out from pinch hitter Lou Montanez, Elvis Andruws saved a run on a spectacular diving stop of a ground ball that was heading for left field. Zaun had to stop at third and Izturiz was credited with a single. Luckily, Wilson mananged to get out of the inning after Brian Roberts flied out to left.
The top of the ninth began with a strikeout by Saltalamacchia and a groundout by Elvis Andruws to third. Another inning began with 2 outs and another inning would end with the Rangers tacking on runs. Ian Kinsler began with a single to left field and then up came Michael Young. Mr. Clutch crushed the ball to the right field seats, giving the Rangers a 5-4 lead that they would not relinquish. Frank Francisco closed out the game with a 1-2-3 inning (with 5 strikes on 6 pitches) which earned him his 3rd save of the season.
Solid pitching, great defensive plays by Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and SS Elvis Andruws, and timely hitting gave the Rangers their 7th win of the season.
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