Rangers' Struggles Continue

The losing streak reaches four as Texas continues to be unable to put it together on this road trip. C.J. Wilson (above) was pulled after only 5 1-3 innings Sunday and the Twins won on a contraverial call, securing the series sweep. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

It seems as though when it rains it pours for the Texas Rangers (75-62).


The Rangers, losers of eight of the last 11 games overall, find themselves with their slimmest division lead (seven games) and more questions than answers at this point of the season. The team's best player (Josh Hamilton)and best pitcher (Cliff Lee) have found themselves out of the lineup this past week with nagging injuries.

In their wake Texas has gone 2-5 during a 10-game road trip, losing the last two - one on a third-base coach interference call and then a 7-2 beat-down at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays (71-66).

First up was a Sunday afternoon game to close out a three game series against the Minnesota Twins (80-57). The normally reliable C.J. Wilson (L, 14-6) gave up three runs in the first two innings en route to his shortest outing in nearly a month. Wilson was pulled with one out in the sixth inning after allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks.

Texas rallied with two outs in the ninth, down 6-2, scoring three runs on a double, a walk, and three singles. The last of which, however, saw Michael Young take too wide of a turn at third after a Vlad Guerrero single and was called out after the umpire ruled that third-base coach David Anderson and Young touched hands on the play.

I couldn't be sure whether or not they had touched after watching the replay over and over, so I can see where the umpire could have had a better view, but it's still a tough pill to swallow for the Rangers. If the interference wasn't called, Young would have been safe at third and Nelson Cruz would have batted with the bases loaded.

"It's really frustrating," said Ian Kinsler, who went 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored for the game. "You get the game taken away from you, that's what it feels like. Who knows what Cruz would have done... No one knows what could have happened with Cruz, but it would have been nice to see what would have happened."

Rangers' manager Ron Washington and Young both argued the call, but the umps ruled the game was over and that was that.

"The thing is there's too many calls have been made that's costing ballgame's in 2010," said Washington, who plans to take it up with the commissioner's office. "We certainly shouldn't have a game end on something like that."

Rangers lose 6-5.

Monday afternoon's game was a disaster both at the plate and on the mound. Tommy Hunter (L, 12-6) gave up seven runs on seven hits in seven innings, allowing five runs in third inning alone. Hunter allowed two homers that inning, a three-run shot by Vernon Wells, and a two-run homer to Aaron Hill. Yunel Escober tacked on another homer in the seventh as Hunter's inability to keep the ball in the ballpark was once again his demise.

"The only way your going to have a chance against these guys is you've got to keep the ball in the ballpark," said Washington. "They got seven and six came via the long ball."

The offense didn't exactly hold up their end of the bargain either, going 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position, while stranding 10 base runners. The Rangers had 10 hits for the game, but only two runs to show for it.

"We need to start hitting better," said infielder Jorge Cantu, who went 0 for 4 for the game. "We haven't been scoring many runs. We need to find a way to get on base."

Rangers Lose 7-2

The Rangers are certainly struggling right now, both at the plate and on the mound. The re-immersion of Kinsler and Cruz into the lineup hasn't gone as smoothly as expected, while Rangers' pitching has begun to let this team down as the season has gone on. Even with a healthy Hamilton and Lee starting within the next week, this team needs to gel and start playing some quality baseball with the playoffs only three weeks away.

"One day it might be pitching, one day it might be defense, one day it might be us not putting enough runs on the board," said Washington. "We've just got to work our way through this, and we will."

Rangers' fans can only hope this isn't just a later version of this team's usual late-season collapse.

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