Texas Rangers catch Tampa Bay Rays with 8-6 Game 2 win, courtesy James Shields wild pitch - Part 2
The Texas Rangers were able to claw their way to an important win 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 club is now even with the visitors and their
8-6 victory was owed to the opposition’s hurler, James Shields. With a bad outing on the mound in the fourth, the Rangers were able to cut the deficit and produce a match winning lead.
Rays put Derek Holland under pressure from the very start. The pitcher placed hitters in a bases loaded situation, only to concede the first run on a walk to Kelly Shoppach, as Upton cleared home plate. Upton earned a double earlier to go to second base.
Evan Longoria was walked to first and Johnny Damon moved on to first after he managed a single to short-stop, Elvis Andrus. With the bases loaded, Upton walked home.
Holland’s night was about to get worse and it did in the top of the fourth inning. The pitcher managed to concede two more runs when he allowed Matt Joyce to get a homer for two important runs. Casey Kotchman was on second base. It was Shields who lost the
match for the Rays.
Shields started the fourth with a hit pitch to Andrus. He then conceded a single to Josh Hamilton. Michael then went on to first base with a single to left-field. The Rays were suddenly on the back foot as the Rangers were in a bases loaded situation. After
a coach’s visit to the mound, Shields hit Adrian Beltre to walk Andrus home for the first run.
At 3-1 down, the Rangers quickly evened the score when Mike Napoli came in to hit to left-field. Young and Hamilton got home for three runs. Nelson Cruz walked in to swing out and then it was David Murphy. With one out and a pitch count of 1-2, things were
looking to go in favour of the Rays. Instead the situation got uglier as Murphy swung for a strike on Shields’ delivery but catcher, Shoppach was nowhere near the ball to collect it.
The ball went for a wild pitch instead of a strike and Murphy went over to first base while Beltre scored the fourth run of the game. With the score 4-3, Mitch Moreland came in to ground out and lead Napoli home with a run. The game had now shifted in the
Rangers’ direction.
Texas put in a brilliant performance as they fought hard throughout the game and managed to force the Rays to commit errors, which eventually helped the Rangers to take an impressive victory.
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