Texas Rangers

Time flies

Holy smokes! It's the sixth inning. Baltimore leads 4-3, but it was 4-0 after two innings. The Rangers scored one in the fourth on a Marlon Byrd single and added two more in the fifth on a two-run homer by Michael Young.

Matt Harrison has settled down since a shaky second inning. He has retired 11 straight to give the Rangers a chance to fight back.

-- Jeff Wilson

Strange first inning

Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie needed needed 37 pitches to get out of the first inning, and he didn't allow a run. Ian Kinsler had a 10-pitch at-bat to start the game, and David Murphy saw 11 pitches in his at-bat.

Baltimore, though, scored once against Matt Harrison after making him throw 23 pitches. It's a different Harrison than in the first three starts. Check him out in the full windup. He's much faster and less deliberate, and he's doing a better job of hiding the ball. We'll check back on that later.

For now, the Orioles are up 1-0 headed to the second.

-- Jeff Wilson

Hamilton a late scratch

Center fielder Josh Hamilton has just been scratched from the lineup with continued soreness in his ribs. Hamilton took early batting practice but felt the soreness after two rounds of regular BP. The new lineup is as follows:

Rangers lineup

Ian Kinsler, 2b

David Murphy, rf

Michael Young, 3b

Andruw Jones, lf

Hank Blalock, dh

Marlon Byrd, cf

Chris Davis, 1b

Taylor Teagarden, c

Omar Vizquel, ss

-- Jeff Wilson

Tonight's lineups

Nelson Cruz sits for the first time this year, so Marlon Byrd will take his place in right field. Taylor Teagarden and Omar Vizquel are in the lineup, as manager Ron Washington had planned. Josh Hamilton is also back in there.

Rangers lineup

Ian Kinsler, 2b

Michael Young, 3b

Josh Hamilton, cf

Hank Blalock, dh

Marlon Byrd, rf

David Murphy, lf

Chris Davis, 1b

Taylor Teagarden, c

Omar Vizquel, ss

Orioles lineup

Brian Roberts, 2b

Adam Jones, cf

Nick Markakis, rf

Aubrey Huff, 1b

Ty Wigginton, 3b

Luke Scott, dh

Lou Montanez, lf

Gregg Zaun, c

Robert Andino, ss

-- Jeff Wilson 

Upcoming homestand promotions

Here they are

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 – vs. Oakland – 7:05 p.m. – My27-HD

·         Free Kid Tuesday. Tickets for kids 13 and under are free in all seating sections for Tuesday home games, excluding May 26, June 16 and July 21. One free child ticket is available with every full-price adult ticket purchased. Excludes All You Can Eat Seats.

·         UTA Night—UTA Symphonic Bass Wind Ensemble will perform National Anthem  

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 – vs. Oakland – 7:05 p.m. – FSSW-HD

·         Dollar Hot Dog Night

• Dr Pepper Autograph Wednesday. Four Rangers players, coaches, and alumni will be signing autographs on designated areas of the concourse between 5:45 and 6:15 p.m. The names of the players signing will be available when the gates open.
• Ozarka Website Wednesday. Tickets for Wednesday home games are half price in Upper Reserved, Upper Box, Lexus Club Terrace, Lower Reserved, Corner Box, and Lexus Club Box sections.

Thursday, April 30, 2009 – vs. Oakland – 1:05 p.m. – FSSW

·            

Friday, May 1, 2009 – vs. Chicago-AL – 7:05 p.m. – FSSW-HD

·         Big Bang Fireworks, presented by Windmill Suites, featuring Nolan Ryan’s favorite music in honor of his 7^th no-hitter anniversary.

·         FANtastic Fireworks Friday. Enter FIREWORKS as the coupon code to purchase tickets for only $10 in seats regularly-priced up to $25 at regular-season Friday Fireworks games, excluding August 14. Sponsored by 105.3 The Fan.

·         All cash parking will be just $5.

·         MLB All-Star Balloting begins in-park and runs through June 18.  

Saturday, May 2, 2009 – vs. Chicago-AL – 7:05 p.m. – FSSW-HD

·         Southwest Airlines Nolan Ryan Replica Statues for the first 20,000.  

·         Boy Scout Pre-Game Parade

·         Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Pre-Game Presentation

Sunday, May 3, 2009 – vs. Chicago-AL – 7:05 p.m. – ESPN

·         Six Flags Over Texas Free Tickets for the first 7,500 kids 13 and under ($33 value).

·         Drumstick $1 Ice Cream Sunday.

·         Ceremonial 1^st pitch by pro football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.

Mailbag, no postage due

It's Monday, the end of the Rangers' seven-game road trip. So far, they're 3-3. They easily could be 5-1, but an argument could be made that the could be 1-5. How has this road trip changed the outlook for the season? Any other burning questions on the mind? Send them to jwilson@star-telegram.com for inclusion in the weekly Rangers Mailbag. As always, please include your name AND hometown. Thanks for your support.

-- Jeff Wilson

Orioles 8, Rangers 5 (F)

The difference was the bullpens. Baltimore got five scoreless innings of relief, and Jason Jennings faltered for the first time (2 2/3 innings, four runs) as a reliever. Another key stretch was the bottom of the fifth, when Brandon McCarthy allowed three runs after the Rangers had opened a 5-1 lead.

-- Jeff Wilson

Rangers now trailing 7-5

Adam Jones hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth off Jason Jennings to move the Orioles from a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead. All that feel-good energy from the Rangers' fifth inning, when David Murphy homered for hit first hit of the season, is long gone.

-- Jeff Wilson

Finally, a hit for Murphy, and it was a homer

Ted Kubiak lives in Rangers infamy after David Murphy snapped an 0-for-23 skid to start the season with an opposite-field home run to start the fifth inning. Kubiak started the 1972 season 0-for-25. Only minutes early, Murphy had thrown out Luke Scott at the plate from left field to end the fourth.

Murphy was greated at the dugout by a high-fives from just about everyone and a big hug from manager Ron Washington. Murphy later came over to hug hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. The home run must have made everyone feel good, because Michael Young followed with a double, Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer and Marlon Byrd and Nelson Cruz scratched out infield singles in the next four at-bats before Brad Bergesen was replaced by Danys Baez. It's 5-1 Rangers with no outs in the fifth.

-- Jeff Wilson

Murphy contributing with arm

David Murphy isn't hitting this season, and he's at 0-for-23 after two plate appearances today. But he just threw out Luke Scott at the plate to end the fourth inning and keep the Rangers in a 2-1 lead. He threw out Adam Jones at third in the first inning, possibly saving another run. He's due up first in the fifth. Maybe the good defensive vibes will result in his first hit of the season.

-- Jeff Wilson