Texas Rangers ball throwers speak out as team loses series tying game
Derek Holland was called in to deliver a good start for his team on May 2, 2011, against the Oakland Athletics. Playing away from home was already a disadvantage but the hurler managed to lead the club to the seventh inning of the fixture with a lead.
The score was 4–3 in the visitors favour but that all changed when Arthur Rhodes conceded a home run to Josh Willingham in the eighth.
Things went down from there as the A’s took the fixture away from the Rangers, ending the game with a walk-off homer from designated hitter, Hideki Matsui. The Texans had the chance to even the playing field with a win but that did not come to pass as the
hosts won the series, 3–1.
Rhodes was disheartened by the eventual loss and he would feel guilty at the thought of his bad innings stint being a catalyst for the rivals. The Rangers lost their third game on the road through a walk off homer and they have recorded 10 losses in the
last 16 games.
"You're going to give up runs", Rhodes said. "I just didn't make my pitches. If I make my pitches, we're still up, 4-3. I left a changeup up. It happens. You hang pitches, they're going to get hit. We've got to go out and do a better job. It was a tough
series, but we've got to keep our heads up and get ready for Seattle".
For Holland, the situation was different. The star allowed eight hits and two walks in the game, apart from the 3 runs that went against him. There was a lesson for him, nevertheless.
"Too many walks", Holland said. "That's the thing that I was aggravated with more than anything. I made my pitches when I had to, but I've got to make more pitches so I don't give away any free bases".
However, Rhodes affirmed that there is no reason to be worried yet. It is too early to think along those lines and there is a lot of optimism for the coming weeks.
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