Indians @ Rangers (September 22nd-24th)

[Molina00]

Projected Matchups
Game 1: Paul Byrd (9-8, 4.77 ERA) vs. Adam Eaton (6-4, 4.77 ERA)
7:35 PM Central on FSN-HD

Game 2: Brian Slocum (0-0, 10.57 ERA) vs. Vicente Padilla (14-9, 4.27 ERA)
7:05 PM Central on KDFI

Game 3: Jake Westbrook (13-10, 4.15 ERA) vs. Kevin Millwood (16-10, 4.36 ERA)
1:05 PM Central on FSN

Game 1 Matchup Notes
Byrd: He has struggled in 3 September starts going 0-2 with an ERA of 5.00 and has given up 26 hits over 18 innings of work. One of those starts was his only other start against Texas this year. He gave up 4 runs on 10 hits over 6 innings for the loss.

Eaton: Adam has had a little bit of trouble in September this season. He is 2-0 in 3 starts but has posted an ERA of 4.91 allowing 10 runs on 24 hits over 18.1 innings. This will be his first start of the year against the Indians and he is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 2 lifetime appearances against them.

Game 2 Matchup Notes
Slocum: The rookies Slocum will be making the first start of his big league career. In 6 relief appearances this season he has allowing 9 runs on 15 hits over 7.2 innings. He has pitched against Texas once this season walking 1 and striking out 1 in 1 scoreless inning of work.

Padilla: Vicente has struggled greatly in his career against the Indians going 4-1 but with a 6.28 ERA in 5 career starts. He will be looking for his career high 15th win in this start and is coming off a start against the Angels where he pitched 7.1 scoreless innings.

Game 3 Matchup Notes
Westbrook: In 2 starts against the Rangers this year Westbrook has gone 1-0 and allowed 6 runs on 13 hits in 13 innings. He has had a very solid September going 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 4 starts so far this month. In his last outting, against Oakland, he allowed just 2 runs over 7.2 innings for the win.

Millwood: Kevin has continued to pitch well down the stretch going 6-2 with a stellar 3.36 ERA over his last 8 starts. He is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 2 starts against his former team this season, and has gone 6-3 with an ERA of 3.82 over his last 10 home starts.

[catman]

Should be an interesting series between 2 teams that began the season hoping for a better finish. Offensively, both teams have been very good. Defensively, both teams have had some difficulty. Pitching has been troublesome, as well.
On a personal note, I saw the Rangers play earlier this season when I was in the area on vacation. I was impressed with the ballpark and the staff that was there. They were friendly and very helpful. Thumbs up to the organization.

[Molina00]

I've been to the ballpark a couple of times. I can't comment on the staff because I didn't really mess with than much outside of giving my ticket and such, but the ballpark was quite enjoyable.

You're right about the hoping for a better finish part. I really thought the Indians would be competing in the AL Central this year. I honest did not expect the Rangers to be leading the division after the all-star break thoguh. I didn't expect it to last but it was sure nice while they were in 1st.

I would say the Westbrook/Millwood matchup is probably the best matchup in the series.

[Molina00]

The Rangers snapped their losing, and did it in grand fashion with a 12-4 blowout over the Cleveland Indians. The game was tied at 1 going into the bottom of the 3rd when Mark Teixeira broke open the floodgate with a 2-run homerun, his 29th homerun of the year. Carlos Lee followed with a solo homerun to give the Rangers a 4-1 lead. Texas added 4 more runs in the 4th to take an 8-1 lead. The Indians did not score again until Adam Eaton allowed 2 runs in the 6th and was then pulled from the game. Five Ranger relievers went on to pitch 3.2 innings only allowing 1 run.

Game Note: Carlos Lee also homered again in the 7th giving him 36 homeruns for the season. Mark Teixeira finished with a 4 RBI game that put him at 102 for the season, his 3rd straight 100+ RBI season.

[Molina00]

After a 12-4 romp in game 1, the Indians took an early lead and never trailed as they defeated the Rangers 6-3 in last nights game.

Vicente Padilla pitched 2 scoreless innings to start the game but the Tribe broke out for 4 runs in the 3rd to take a 4-0 lead. They added 2 more runs off Padilla in the 5th to make it a 6-1 ballgame. The bullpen kept the Rangers in the game pitching 4 scoreless innings but the offense couldn't get much going. The only other Ranger score was a 2-run homerun by Carlos Lee in the 8th inning. That made it 6-3 but the Rangers couldn't get anymore.

Offensive Highlights
Mark Teixeira went 4 for 4 with his 44th double and 2 runs scored.

Game Note: Carlos Lee's 8th inning homerun was his 3rd homerun in this series. He hit 2 in the 12-4 game 1 win.

[Molina00]

Game 3 Starting Lineups
Indians
CF-Grady Sizemore
2B-Joe Inglett
C-Victor Martinez
1B-Ryan Garko
LF-Shin Soo Choo
DH-Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS-Jhonny Peralta
RF-Franklin Gutierrez
3B-Aaron Boone

Rangers
CF-Gary Matthews Jr.
SS-Michael Young
1B-Mark Teixeira
LF-Carlos Lee
DH-Hank Blalock
3B-Mark DeRosa
2B-Ian Kinsler
C-Miguel Ojeda
RF-Nelson Cruz

[Molina00]

Top of the 1st
Pitching for Texas: Kevin Millwood

Sizemore grounds out down the firstbase line. Teixeira to Millwood for the out.
Inglett strikes out on 3 pitches.
Martinez singles to centerfield. Runner on 1st, 2 out.
Garko is hit by the pitch. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 out.
Choo singles into centerfield. Matthews overruns the ball and Martinez scores. Runners on the corners, 2 out.
Choo steals 2nd base on a bobble by Miguel Ojeda. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 out.
Kouzmanoff pops out to secondbase. Kinsler makes the catch.

Inning over.
Indians lead 1-0.

[Molina00]

Bottom of the 1st
Pitching for Cleveland: Jake Westbrook

Matthews flies out almost to the warning track in leftfield.
Young draws the walk. Runner on 1st, 1 out.
Teixeira is hit by the pitch. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 1 out.
Lee pops out in front of the mound. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 out.
Blalock strikes out to end the inning.

Inning over.
Indians lead 1-0 going into the 2nd.

[Molina00]

Top of the 2nd
Pitching for Texas: Kevin Millwood

Peralta walks to lead off the inning.
Gutierrez doubles to leftfield. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, no out.
Boone singles into centerfield. Peralta and Gutierrez score. Runner on 1st, no out.
Boone into 2nd with a stolen base. Runner on 2nd, no out.
Sizemore draws the walk. Runners on 1st and 2nd, no out.
Inglett is out on a sac bunt. Runners advance. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out.
Martinez is intentionally walked. Bases loaded, 1 out.
Garko grounds out down the firstbase line, Boone scores. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 out.
Choo flies out to leftfield.

Inning over.
Indians lead 4-0.

[Molina00]

Bottom of the 2nd
Pitching for Cleveland: Jake Westbrook

DeRosa singles to rightfield to leadoff the inning.
Kinsler strikes out. Runner on 1st, 1 out.
Ojeda singles to rightfield, DeRosa to 3rd. Runners on the corners, 1 out.
Cruz rips it to the mound, it hits off Westbrook and the ball bounces into leftfield. Cruz into 2nd with a double, DeRosa scores. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out.
Matthews flies out to leftfield. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs.
Young walks to load the bases with 2 outs.
Teixeira grounds out to secondbase.

Inning over.
Indians lead 4-1 after 2 innings.

[Molina00]

Top of the 3rd
Pitching for Texas: Kevin Millwood

Kouzmanoff walks to leadoff the inning.
Peralta grounds to 3rd. DeRosa can't handle the ball and Peralta is safe at first. Runners on 1st and 2nd, no out.
Gutierrez is out on a sac bunt, both runners advance. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out.
Boone grounds out to thirdbase. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 out.
Sizemore strikes out to end the inning.

Inning over.
Indians lead 4-1.

[Molina00]

Bottom of the 3rd
Pitching for Cleveland: Jake Westbrook

Lee grounds out to the mound.
Blalock doubles to centerfield. Runner on 2nd, 1 out.
DeRosa singles to rightfield, Blalock to 3rd. Runners on the corners, 1 out.
Kinsler flies out to centerfield, Blalock scored. Runner on 1st, 2 out.
Ojeda grounds out to secondbase.

Inning over.
Indians lead 4-2 after 3 innings.

[Molina00]

Top of the 4th
Pitching for Texas: Kevin Millwood

Inglett with an infield single to leadoff the inning.
Martinez strikes out looking. Runner on 1st, 1 out.
Inglett goes to 2nd on a stolen base.
Garko goes down swinging. Runner on 2nd, 2 out.
Choo walks. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 out.
Kouzmanoff grounds out. Ojeda to Teixeira for the out.

Inning over.
Indians lead 4-2.

[Molina00]

Bottom of the 4th
Pitching for Cleveland: Jake Westbrook

Cruz grounds out to shortstop.
Matthews singles into leftfield. Runner on 1st, 1 out.
Young grounds into a double play.

Inning over.
Indians lead 4-2 after 4 innings.