Rangers Split Four-Game Series With O's

Texas won two of the final three games of the series to salvage a split against the lowly Orioles. Josh Hamilton (above) hit two home runs and drove in seven RBI over the final three games of the series. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

It was certainly an up-and-down series for the Texas Rangers (69-54). The Baltimore Orioles (44-81), as they've done all season against Texas, gave the Rangers all they could handle in an evenly matched four-game set.

While splitting four games with the worse team, record-wise, in the American League certainly doesn't constitute taking care of business, it is a step-up considering the way the Rangers started the road trip.

"We could have come off the road trip a lot worse than we did," Hamilton said. "We hung in there."

Texas finished the seven game road trip with a disappointing 2-5 record, but (thanks to how terrible both the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics are this season) still hold an eight game lead in the American League West division.

Here are some of my observations from the last three games of the series:

• Both C.J. Wilson and Tommy Hunter pitched outstanding games in the Rangers two wins. Wilson shut out the Orioles for 8 2-3 innings Friday night, striking out a career-high 12 batters, while allowing only four batters to reach base. Hunter pitched 8 innings Sunday afternoon, as he allowed three runs on five hits for his 10th win of the season. Each pitcher displayed poise on the mound and allowed Texas to rest it's ailing bullpen.
  

• Sandwiched between quality starts by Wilson and Hunter was easily Cliff Lee's worst pitching performance as a Ranger, if not the worst of his entire career. Lee gave up as many home runs (4) as he had strikeouts for the game as he tied a career-high by allowing eight runs on 10 hits in only 5 2-3 innings pitched. It's the first time in his last five starts that he even allowed a homer, and the first time all season long that he failed to go at least six innings. Over his last two starts, Lee has allowed a total of 14 runs on 19 hits in only 13 1-3 innings pitched, raising his ERA for the season from 2.57 (3rd in the American League) to 3.09.
  

• Vladimir Guerrero seems to be on the verge of busting out of a slump that has lasted nearly two months. Guerrero has a hit in each of his last 10 games and, most recently, a homer and four RBI over the last two. The Rangers' designated hitter went 2 for 4 in the final game of the series against the Orioles, crushing a three-run home run over the left field wall in the process.
  

• Josh Hamilton dominated the final three games of the series against the Orioles. Hamilton went 7 for 14 from the plate with two home runs, seven RBI, and four runs scored, leading the Rangers to two wins out of three.
  

With the way Texas has been playing, they are lucky to leave Baltimore with two wins. The Rangers have really struggled as of late and the only thing the team can really hang it's hat on is that they are going to make the playoffs. It's not necessarily indicative of how good the Rangers are this year, but how bad both of the so-called "contenders" in the A.L. West are. Both the A's (61-62) and Angels (62-63) will be lucky to finish the season with a record over .500, while the Rangers could go 17-22 in the final 39 games of the season and still finish 10 games over .500. Yet and still, this team has about another month and some change to get ready and start playing well going into the playoffs or, just as in years past, this team will be looking at an early exit come October.

The Rangers look to get back on track at home against the Minnesota Twins, a team who has surpassed Texas for home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Twins come into the game with a 72-52 record, having won eight of its past 10 games.

Rich Harden (4-4, 5.45 ERA) will come off the disabled list to make the start for Texas (why?), while Nick Blackburn (7-7, 6.66) takes the hill for the Twins. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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