| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Kenny Rogers walked to the mound in the bottom
of the first inning, gazed at the giant scoreboard in left field
and liked what he saw: Texas 3, Cleveland 0.
"I'll take that any time," Rogers said.
|  | | Spotted an early lead, Kenny Rogers was in control of his pitches and in command of Cleveland. |
Rogers cooled down Cleveland by pitching eight strong innings
Tuesday night and Gabe Kapler extended his hitting streak to 22 games as the Rangers snapped the Indians' six-game winning streak with an 11-2 victory.
Rogers (11-9), dropping breaking balls on the corners at will,
limited the Indians to two runs and eight hits. He walked four and
struck out three in winning for the first time in four starts.
After being shut out Monday night, the Rangers came out swinging
and gave Rogers more support than he's been used to. Texas had
scored just 15 runs in Rogers' last six starts.
"I can be a better pitcher when we score runs like that,"
joked Rogers, who made his 400th career appearance for the Rangers.
"I was fortunate tonight. I got the double play early and I
minimized my mistakes."
Rogers hasn't gotten much help from Texas' bullpen this season,
either. Relievers have blown saves in three straight no-decisions
for him.
"He's been great," said Rangers manager Johnny Oates. "He
could have easily had three or four more wins this season."
Kapler's two-run double in the first tied him with Toronto's
Carlos Delgado for the longest hitting streak in the AL this
season. Frank Catalanotto went 4-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and
scored four times for Texas.
"I can't remember the last time he got a cheap hit," Oates
said of Kapler, two games shy of tying Mickey Rivers' club record.
"Everything he hits, he hits hard."
Ricky Ledee, traded from Cleveland to Texas last month, added
two RBI.
Before the game, the Indians learned that Manny Ramirez
re-injured his left hamstring and could be headed back to the
disabled list and right-hander Jaret Wright is facing season-ending
shoulder surgery.
"As good as we've been playing, things went that bad tonight,"
Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. "It was an ugly game for
us."
Jason Bere (2-1) had been impressive in winning his first two
starts since being acquired by the Indians in a July 28 trade with
Milwaukee, but the Rangers never let the right-hander get
comfortable.
The first three Rangers to face Bere all singled and scored in
the first to give Texas a 3-0 lead. Rusty Greer's infield single
off Bere's glove loaded the bases with none out, and after Rafael
Palmeiro popped up, Kapler doubled.
"I feel a responsibility hitting behind Raffy," said Kapler,
who was recently moved into the No. 5 spot in the batting order.
Oates felt Kapler's double was the biggest play of the game.
"If he didn't come through there, then there is no telling
where the game goes," Oates said. "That's a big at-bat right
there."
The Indians blew a chance to get back in it in the fourth when
they put runners at second and third with none out. But Jim Thome
got doubled off second on Wil Cordero's lineout and Sandy Alomar popped to third.
Greer hit a two-run homer, his fifth, in the seventh to make it
9-1.
Game notes
Bere is 0-4 with a 15.05 ERA in six career starts at Jacobs
Field. ... Tuesday's game was the 500th in Jacobs Field since the
ballpark opened in 1994. Cleveland is 306-194 at home. Of the 496
home games -- there have been three doubleheaders -- 467 have been
sellouts. ... Texas LHP Darren Oliver will start for Triple-A
Oklahoma on Saturday night as he begins a rehab assignment. Oliver
is on the disabled list with weakness in his pitching shoulder. ...
Cleveland's pitchers gave up just 16 runs during the six-game
winning streak. ... Rogers has the Rangers' only complete game this
season.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 12
Chi. White Sox 4
Seattle 7
Chi. White Sox 5
(2nd game)
Texas 11
Cleveland 2
Detroit 4
Baltimore 1
NY Yankees 4
Oakland 3
Tampa Bay 5
Minnesota 0
Toronto 6
Kansas City 1
Anaheim 2
Boston 1
Atlanta 5
Cincinnati 4
Philadelphia 10
San Diego 4
Houston 9
NY Mets 3
Florida 7
St. Louis 0
Colorado 6
Pittsburgh 1
Montreal 9
Arizona 3
Los Angeles 7
Chicago Cubs 5
San Francisco 1
Milwaukee 0
|
