Wilson Pitches Lights Out - Rangers Win 1-0

Combine eight innings of scoreless baseball thrown by C.J. Wilson (above) with another solo homer by Michael Young, and the Rangers now have a seven game lead in the American League West. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Two straight games against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels (51-48), two games where the new-look Texas Rangers' (57-40) pitching staff has shown it's mettle with back-to-back dominating pitching performances. The student even outperformed the master Friday night as C.J. Wilson (W, 9-5) threw eight shutout innings, compared to Cliff Lee's stellar two-earned 8 1-3 innings outing Thursday, for a 1-0 Rangers win.

Wilson credits Lee with helping to expand his game since he arrived here with Texas.

"We acquired Cliff so he would win big games, but we also acquired Cliff because he would make everybody else better and that's been the big thing for me," Wilson said. "I've been watching his videotapes for two years now and now having him here and being able to actually talk to him and find out the methods behind his approach are already having an effect."

It certainly seemed to have an effect Friday night.

Wilson looked like a different pitcher on the mound against the Angels as he cut down on the walks that had plagued him in recent starts. Wilson walked zero batters in the game (he had walked 10 in his previous two starts, 11 1-3 innings), and went eight innings - his longest outing since May 7.

After the game, Michael Young acknowledged the effect Lee's acquisition has had on the fellow left-hander Wilson.

"Having Cliff on the roster has been huge for C.J.," Young said. "Cliff is kind of the prototype for the lefty with great location, great tempo, who goes right after guys and challenges guys."

Speaking of Young, Captain Clutch hit a solo home run in the first inning for the second consecutive game. This time, it was a shot over the left-center field wall for the only run of the game. Young cane close to hitting another in the third, but it bounced off the top of the wall in right center for a double.

"I made one mistake there in the first inning, and it cost us," Angels' starter Joe Saunders (L, 6-10) said. "I didn't realize it would cost us the game."

This is yet another sign of how different this team is from Rangers' teams in the past that strictly relied on offensive to carry them. This team can beat you with speed, power and, now, even pitching. It's a good time to be a Rangers' fan, to say the least.

Texas tries to clinch a series-victory tomorrow night, with a 7:05 p.m. scheduled start time. Scott Feldman (5-8, 5.48 ERA) will get one-more shot at staying in the rotation for the Rangers, while Ervin Santana (8-7, 3.63) will take the mound for the Angels.

News and Notes:

• While it appears Texas may have the upper-hand against L.A. this season, don't discount the fact that all but one game between these two teams this season have been decided by a single run.
• Texas has now shutout an opponent four times this season. Wilson has started two of those games.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)