Texas Rangers catch Tampa Bay Rays with 8-6 Game 2 win, courtesy James Shields wild pitch - Part 1
One play stood out as the most significant one for the Texas Rangers as the club sailed to a 8-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of the American League Division Series on Saturday, October 1 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
The moment came in the bottom of the fourth when David Murphy swung on a 1-2 pitch count, with two outs in the inning. Instead of striking out, Shield’s delivery went past the catcher for a wild pitch.
The play allowed Murphy to cruise to first base while the Rangers gained a monumental lead in the game with Adrian Beltre going through the diamond for the 4-3 score line. The game looked like going towards the Rays in the first four innings but Shields’
disastrous outing in the bottom of the fourth took the game out of the visitors’ hands.
Shields was impressive for the first three innings. Going up to the mound was not a big concern for the player. The Rays’ top hurler allowed just one hit and no runs while Tampa Bay played on for runs. At 3-0 up, Shields entered the fourth to do his job.
Things however took a sharp turn as Elvis Andrus got hit for a walk to first base. After that things went downhill for the pitcher.
It looked like the experienced veteran would fall back on his form but he stumbled forth as the Rangers capitalised on the situation with five meaningful runs in the inning. Shields was taken off in the bottom of the sixth, after Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz
earned singles against the pitcher. The two Texans would score later to earn the Rays’ ball thrower seven runs off eight hits in his first and possibly last game of the post-season.
One man who looked like a thrower on the edge was none other than Texas’ starter Derek Holland. The hurler earned his first win of the post-season as a starting pitcher after almost losing his team the necessary advantage in the first three innings, to restrict
the Rays to no runs. The pitcher conceded three runs off six hits in five innings and he did well in his earned run average as he retired 13 hitters, while striking-out two.
The hurler conceded his first run in disappointing fashion as he walked the Rays for the lead with a bases loaded situation. He then committed a throwing error in the fourth on two outs. His last mistake was allowing a homer to Matt Joyce.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to see the hurler get back to his regular season form as the Rangers took the game out of the Rays’ hands.
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