It is getting to the point where I'm honestly starting to think that Ian Kinsler may hit .400 this season. I know we only have a snapshot of a season (13 out of 162 games) but Kinsler is swinging the bat so well right now.
Rangers win tonight, 5-4. Thanks mostly to Ian Kinsler's two run opposite field shot in the 7th off of Roy Halladay.
McCarthy was solid. He wasn't amazing, but he was OK. He went 6 innings, giving up 6 hits, 3 runs, walking 2 and striking out 2. He got the job done, but I didn't like his command over his fastball which just about every time seemed to ride in high and tight. It must have happened about ten times. He needs to take care of issues with his command and I'd like to see him get better location with his fastball, but this is a start. 2-0 on the young season and his ERA is under 5 (Sad that we have to consider that a major plus, but hey...)
Rangers went up 2 to nothing in the second inning off of an absolute laser from Nelly Cruz. Halladay left one floating and Nelly got that ball out in a hurry. McCarthy gave the two run lead back in the third inning though. Alex Rios doubled in a run and Vernon Wells got an RBI off a sac fly which scored Marco Scutaro, but just barely. Nelson Cruz made the play closer at the plate then most outfielders could. Scutaro was clearly safe, though. The Jays left a runner stranded on third. I was just happy to see Mac leave the inning without giving them the lead.
Kris Davis (Chris will be spelled with a K until he shows he can get his strikeouts under control) singled in Blalock after he led off with a double in the 4th. Rangers lead 3-2. But, as if on cue, McCarthy gave up a solo home run to Aaron Hill. It was his 5th home run allowed on the year. That needs to get under control.
After Kinsler's two run, two out home run, the Rangers brought in Guardado who got one out and then was replaced by Jason Jennings. C.J. Wilson and Frank Francisco followed and both of them made it interesting, as one run came home (Unearned thanks to an error from Andrus) and Frankie got out on an eighth inning jam facing bases loaded and one out.
Francisco and Jennings both pitched tonight. Jennings went 1 full inning and Francisco went 1 and two thirds. Neither allowed an earned run. With tonight's performance, that brings both Jennings' and Francisco's totals up to another impressive level.
BULLPEN WATCH
Jennings: 6.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 8 strikeouts, 3 walks, 0.00 era, .091 opponents batting average
Francisco: 7.0 innings pitched, 3 hits, 0 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0.00 era, .125 opponents batting average
If only the entire bullpen could perform like this. Both Jennings and Francisco have been nearly flawless. The Rangers have talked recently about using Jennings as their eighth inning man...I don't see why they shouldn't. He's been impossible for opposing batters to hit and if he could get his walks total down, Jennings would have as close to a perfect season stat line as you could get from a relief guy. Once more, I know it's early, but Jennings is looking like Jeff Zimmerman did in 1999 and for those die hard Rangers fans who are reading this, you know who that is and how high of praise that is.
Matt Harrison's 0-2 self goes up against David Purcey tomorrow at 6:07 as the Rangers look to get their first series win since opening week against the Indians. They'll need more from their bats tomorrow judging by how Harrison has pitched in his two starts.
And now for some bad news from the minors. Neftali Feliz was rocked in his start last evening. 3 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Not what you want to see, but everyone can have a bad start. The alarming thing is that this is three starts in a row where Feliz has had some real control issues. The other games he was able to keep the opposing team from capitalizing on those opportunities. He had no such luck against Omaha.
I won't be posting again until Saturday (Draft day!) so I'll see you then with an update on the Rangers and thoughts on Mavs/Spurs game 3. Hopefully we'll have seen Holland by then.
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