Umpire Takes Twinbill from Rangers/Indians

  With an “outstanding” performance from the umpire, the Rangers (who should have lost game 1) won game 1 by a score of 8-7 and the Rangers (who should have won game 2) lost game 2 by a score of 17-16. In an obvious attempt to drag a doubleheader into an 8-hour affair, the man in blue issued a whopping 33 WALKS on the day.

      In game 1, the Rangers dropped a five-spot on Tribe starter Phil Beach in the bottom of the first keyed by a two-run HR to right off the bat of centerfielder Clint Wolf. Gary Robinson singled in a pair as well in the frame. The Indians battled back against Rangers starter Jeremy Lippincott with a pair of two-run HRs of their own (Joey Herren and Kevin Canfield). The score stood at 5-5 until the fifth when the Indians put together four straight hits to take a two-run lead. The Rangers mounted their comeback in the bottom of the seventh. After loading the bases on walks, Clint Wolf knocked a two-out two-run double to tie the game. Brent Collinsworth then proceeded to “rope” (latin, for “bloop”) a base hit to right just out of the reach of a diving second baseman to win game 1. Jacob Robinson picked up the win in relief pitching four strong innings striking out six. Jake was the only pitcher on the day not to walk somebody. That, in and of itself, was the most amazing stat of the day.

Game 2 (entitled “Don’t swing ‘cause he ain’t calling strikes anymore”) saw 23 base runners reach via the base-on-balls routine. The Rangers got on top first as Collinsworth singled in Wolf, who had tripled before him. But the Indians pounced the Rangers for 5 runs on 5 hits in the 2^nd to take a 5-1 lead. The Indians added another on missed pop fly in the third to take a five-run lead. The Rangers started pecking away in the top of the fourth after three walks and a pair of singles to tie the game at six apiece. The Indians scored a run in the fourth and fifth to regain the lead. However, the lead was short-lived as the Rangers batted around in the 6^th with the help of six more walks and three hits. With a 13-8 lead, the Rangers felt it necessary to keep the game close and gave four runs back to the Tribe in the bottom of the sixth. The Rangers added two “insurance” runs in the top of the seventh as Jeremy Cunningham and Jacob Robinson added RBI singles. The Indians’ 7^th inning started with a single and, yes, a walk. Cunningham then struck out the next batter and got the following batter to fly out. With two outs and a 3-2 count on the batter, Cunningham fired a fastball right down the heart of the plate….for ball four. The Rangers squandered several chances in the eighth as four batters went to the plate, two singled and one doubled and no runners scored! Both teams leave runners stranded in the 8^th as night begins to fall amongst the cornstalks. The ninth inning started well for the Rangers as Jared Bradley…guess….walked. Clint Wolf tripled for the second time in the game to drive in the go-ahead run. However, as both sides found out throughout the day, no lead is safe. Joey Herren wound up on third after a miscommunication gaffe in the outfield to start the Indians ninth. After a groundout to short, Derek Nichols singled in the tying run. Canfield then delivered the knock out blow with a line drive to right. But with an inopportune throw, Nichols came around to score the winning run.

And, as a recurring theme over the years for the Rangers, in a game that could have ended on a called third strike for a Rangers victory, the umpire gets the best of the team and the Rangers subsequently fall apart to lose the game.

Clint Wolf, Brent Collinsworth, and Jeremy Cunningham each had four hits on the day. Wolf finished with 6 RBIs to the lead the team and Jared Bradley scored six runs to go along with 3 stolen bases and a team-high 5 walks.