Athletics @ Rangers (April 20th-22nd)

[Molina00]

Game 1 Matchup
Joe Blanton (1-0, 4.00 ERA) vs. Brandon McCarthy (1-2, 7.07 ERA)

7:05 PM central on FSN

Game 2 Matchup
Joe Kennedy (0-1, 3.75 ERA) vs. Kameron Loe (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

7:05 PM central on My27

Game 3 Matchup
Chad Gaudin (1-0, 1.96 ERA) vs. Robinson Tejeda (2-1, 3.32 ERA)
2:05 PM on FOX

Game 1 Matchup
Blanton: Joe is coming off a solid start against the Yankees where he went 6.2 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and is off to a solid start to the season. Blanton's record against Texas is 4-2 but his ERA is 4.91 so if McCarthy pitch a solid game the Rangers should be able to win with offense.

McCarthy: Brandon was bombed last time out in his loss to the Mariners. He was hit for 6 runs on 6 hits over just 2 innings of work after 2 solid starts to kick off the season.

Game 2 Matchup
Kennedy: In his 2 starts this year Kennedy has allowed just 2 ER in 11 innings of work. He then made a relief appearance where he gave up 3 runs on 2 hits in an inning of work knocking his ERA up from 1.64 to 3.75. The Rangers are hoping for a performance more like his relief appearance then his 2 excellent starts.

Loe: Kameron is making his first start of the year filling in for the injured Jamey Wright. In 5 relief appearances Loe has allowed 7 runs on 12 hits over 8.1 innings, although only 5 of those runs were earned. The Rangers should be in good shape if he can pitch the way he did in Spring Training though.

Game 3 Matchup
Gaudin: He is making his 4th start of the year, and he has been very good in his previous three allowing only 4 ER on 12 hits over 18.1 innings. His last start was his best as he went 7.2 innings allowing 1 ER on 4 hits in a win over the Angels, his first decision of the season.

Tejeda: So far, Tejeda's season has been up-and-down. He pitched 7 scoreless in his first start for the win, gave up 6 runs on 10 hits in his 2nd start for the loss, and then just 1 run allowed on 3 hits in 7 innings for the win in his last start. The Rangers will be hoping he continues his success rather than his early season trend.

[Roy31]

Brandon McCarthy is looking like a Million bucks hahaha. WTF!

[Roy31]

I like our chances tommorow, or should I say today. I think Kameron Loe is going to pitch well.

[Molina00]

He can't do much worse than McCarthy. Loe should have been in the rotation from the beginning though. After losing 4 straight, I think it's 4, it's time for a momentum change. They just need to get the offense clicking.

[Molina00]

After Brandon McCarthy lasted just 2 innings in the A's romp over Texas last night, Kam Loe brought his A game when the Rangers needed it the most. Mired in a losing streak, Loe pitched 5.1 innings allowing just 3 hits and striking out 5. C.J. Wilson and Jaoquin Benoit have combined for 1.1 scoreless innings and the Rangers currently lead tonight's game 1-0 in the 7th inning. The lone run is courtesy of a Mark Teixeira RBI single.

[Molina00]

Bottom of the 7th. Cruz and Kata with back-to-back singles followed by a walk to Gerald Laird. Now bases loaded with 1 out for Jerry Hairston Jr.

[Molina00]

Hairston flies out and Cruz scores from 3rd. Now a 2-0 Texas lead. Runners on the corners with 2 out for Ian Kinsler.

[Molina00]

Kinsler flies out to centerfield and the Rangers have to settle for just 1. Should be more than enough with the way Texas has been pitching tonight though. Especially since it will likely be Aki in the 8th and Gagne in the 9th.

[Roy31]

Who called it , Loe pitched fantastic. Nice win for the boys.

[Molina00]

Game Recap
The Rangers finally got back on track. After getting hammered 16-4, Kameron Loe came throwing 5.1 scoreless innings and picking up the win. The bullpen was just as good striking out 4 overs 3.2 scoreless innings of work.

Going into the 8th the Rangers lead 2-0 when the bats finally woke up. Texas put 5 across in the inning to take a 7-0 lead, including a 3-run shot from Matt Kata.

Nelson Cruz had a big game going 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored and Kinsler and Teixeira each had multi-hit games.

The Rangers improved to 7-10 and have more or less broken the tie for last with Seattle. Both are still 2 games out of the division lead, but Texas is 27 percentage points better than the Mariners.