The Rangers Are 22-17
/That was possibly one of the least entertaining games I've seen all season.
- Derek Holland took the mound in the series opener in Oakland, and overall, he was solid enough, I suppose. From a results standpoint, 6 innings with 2 earned runs is always good. From a peripherals standpoint, 1 strikeout isn't too good. And it was the lack of a real strikeout threat that eventually allowed the A's to put up 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. After inducing a flyball from Coco Crisp for the first out of the inning, Derek ended up loading the bases. A sacrifice fly from Khris someone-tell-him-his-name-is-spelled-wrong Davis and Billy Butler single made it 2-0 A's, and really, they didn't need anything else.
- The Rangers offense, a day after being full of punches, was punchless tonight. Only four hits total, as well as six total baserunners. Early on, I thought perhaps Jeff Banister took a stray punch yesterday that somehow had him thinking that putting Elvis Andrus back in Ron Washington's favorite spot, the two-hole, was a great idea. Oddly enough, Elvis had a hit and a walk, so he wasn't the problem. And other Adrian Beltre and Ian Desmond singles as well as a Ryan Rua double, there wasn't much to get excited about in this one.
- Luke Jackson, called up to replace Tom Wilhelmsen in the bullpen, pitched tonight. And while he gave up a solo home run to Danny Valencia in the bottom of the 7th -- while rocking some sort of retro mop hairstyle -- he was effective.
- It was only one game, but it feels like it's always a miserable experience watching games in Oakland. Maybe it's the constant drumming and vuvuzela blowing in the background. Maybe it's the terribly large foul territory. Or maybe it's just that it feels like Texas never plays well in Oakland. Whatever it is, I'll be glad when this series is over.
- They'll do it again tomorrow night, this time sending Cole Hamels to the mound. Here's hoping that the bats show up this time around.