Rangers Split Final Two, Take Series From Royals

Cliff Lee wasn't up to snuff Tuesday night, but Mitch Moreland (above) and the Rangers rebounded Wednesday to take the final game of the series. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The Texas Rangers (75-58) got all they could handle from the Kansas City Royals (56-77) in this series. After losing Tuesday's game on a bizarre, walk-off wild pitch, Texas bounced back - holding on for a 4-3 win against K.C.

Cliff Lee struggled for the fifth straight start Tuesday, failing to get out of the fifth inning for the first time all season. Lee allowed seven runs (four earned) on 10 hits in only 4 2-3 innings. It seemed as though every time the Rangers' offense began to dig their way out of the hole the starter dug for them, Lee would give it right back up again.

The game ended after pinch-runner Willie Bloomquist, who had stole third earlier in the inning, sprinted home after Alexei Ogando's 3-0 pitched bounced all the way back off the backstop. Rangers' catcher Matt Treanor made an on-point through, but Bloomquist was able to evade the tag as the Royals took the game 10-9.

Wednesday's game say Texas jump out of the gate, getting on the board in the first inning on a Nellie Cruz two-run single. The Royals battled back all game

Neftali Feliz came into the game in the ninth on fire to close it out for the Rangers. Feliz clocked triple digits on the radar gun at least a half a dozen times, but Royals hitters nearly made him pay for it. Two straight deep fly balls, one caught by Cruz at the very top of the wall, nearly tied the game for K.C. Luckily for the Rangers, the corner outfielders got the job done and Texas won the game and the series.

"They both smoked the ball," Royals manager Ed Yost said of Wilson Betemit and Billy Butler's near homers. "I thought they both had a chance to go out. The outfielders were playing so deep. Billy just scalded it."

Texas continues it's road trip Friday night in Minnesota, taking on the Twins. The Twins, at 77-57 this season, currently hold home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Derek Holland (2-2, 4.76 ERA) will get the start for Texas, while Nick Blackburn (8-8, 6.02) will take the mound for the Twins.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

News and Notes:

• Texas acquired outfielder Jeff Francoeur in a trade with the New York Mets Wednesday. The Rangers sent infielder Joaquin Arias to the Mets as apart of the deal.
• Josh Hamilton, forced into the role of designated hitter the last few games, received a cortisone shot in his ailing right knee that demoted him to bench-warmer Wednesday. Hamilton is expected to start the series Friday in Minnesota, but it's unknown whether he will play the field.
• Cliff Lee will get an extra couple days of rest after receiving a shot in his lower back. Lee will be in uniform with the team Friday, but isn't expected to start until the middle of next week at the earliest.

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