Texas Wins With Pitching, Defense, and Clutch Hitting 3-0

Rangers starter Scott Feldman went 6 innings and didn't allow a run on 4 hits. The Texas pitching staff combined to throw a 5 hit shutout against The Los Angeles Angels.

The Texas Rangers continue to surprise baseball fans everywhere with their play in the month May. Texas is now 13-3 this month and have won 7 straight games overall.

This game was tied 0-0 until the bottom of the 7th inning when the Rangers' batters got it going. Hank Blalock led off the inning with a double to right field on a 1-2 pitch, Blalock was 1-4 on the day. Nelson Cruz got his first and only hit of the day also as he hit a single to left field which put runners on the corners with 0 outs in the inning. David Murphy followed with the go-ahead Sac Fly that scored Blalock from 3rd and gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead. A Chris Davis fielder's choice and a Jarrod Saltalamacchia ground-out ended the inning.

Texas wasn't done as Omar Vizquel began the bottom of the 8th with a triple to the left field corner. Ian Kinsler didn't waste any time and hit the first pitch he saw to deep left field for a double that scored Vizquel, making it 2-0 Rangers. After Michael Young struck out swinging to record the first Texas out of the inning, Marlon Byrd hit another pitch down that same left field line for another double that scored Kinsler from second, giving the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Consecutive strikeouts by Hank Blalock and Nelson Cruz ended the inning, but the 3 runs were all Texas would need going into the 9th.

Darren O'Day came into the game and got the final out for the Rangers for the 8th inning. He returned for the 9th and got the save as he struck out 2 Angels batters and retired all four of the batters he faced for the game. It was O'Day's second save of the season.

Rangers Win 3-0

News and Notes:

• Texas is now 6th in the American League in ERA (4.54), 5th in opponent Batting Average (.260), and first in Saves with 12.
  
• Josh Hamilton made a spectacular catch in the top of the 7th which likely prevented a run from being scored, but injured his groin on the play. He is listed as Day-to-Day.
• Ian Kinsler was 1-3 for the day and collected his 32nd RBI of the season, tying him for 8th in the American League.
• Texas drew their largest crowd of the season with 37,146 fans in attendance.

The Texas Rangers go to Detroit next for a 3-game series starting Tuesday at 6:05 pm.