Some things you need to know about Texans and Texas teams involved in sports: • • • • • • • 1. Carter swings and connects in Astros 7-4 win< Chris Carters goal was just to put a 3-0 pitch in play. Instead, he sent it out of Yankee Stadium, putting the game out of reach for the Yankees. ... Carters tiebreaking three-run blast in the ninth inning -- his 30th home run of the year -- send the Astros to a 7-4 victory over the Bronx Bombers. It was Houstons third win in four games against the Bombers this year. ... Again, this guy could change the game on one swing, manager Bo Porter said. And he changed the game tonight with one swing. He got the green light, 3-0, and he didnt miss that ball. Carter had struck out four times earlier. ... The Astros bullpen threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings -- with Tony Sipp retiring all five batters he faced, Josh Fields (3-6) throwing a scoreless inning for the win and Chad Qualls working the ninth for his 14th save. ... Carter, playing his first game since being named AL player of the Week, reached a career high with his 30th homer. He also is the first Astros player to hit 30 in a season since Lance Berkman (34) and Carlos Lee (32) in 2007. ... Since July 1, Carter is hitting .307 and leads the major leagues in homers (17) and RBIs (42) while posting a .693 slugging percentage and a 1.046 OPS in that span. ... Obviously, Chris had his struggles early, and you look at the success which hes had over the last six or seven weeks, I think that is the player that he has the capability of being, Porter said. Now I think its just a matter of him finishing the season strong and being consistent the way hes been consistent. ... Astros starter Brett Oberholtzers run of starts of at least six innings came to an end when he was pulled after giving up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings in his shortest outing since April 30. He had pitched at least six innings in 11 consecutive starts. ... Oberholtzer was rolling along until a two-out single by Martin Prado in the fourth led to a two-run homer by Brian McCann that put the Yankees ahead 2-0. The Astros rallied for three runs in their half of the sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead, capped by a pinch-hit, two-run single by Marwin Gonzalez. ... He was batting for Gregorio Petit, who had doubled in his first two at-bats. Petit started against lefty Chris Capuano -- who struck out eight over 5 1/3, charged with four runs on eight hits -- but Gonzalez was brought on to face reliever Adam Warren and the rest of the Yankees right-handed-dominant bullpen. ... I think that there is a perfect example of what a platoon really is, Porter said. So the ballgame stays close, its going to be righties the rest of the way, and Marwins going to hit the rest of the way, so you might as well take your shot right there. And Gonzo did a great job coming through with two RBIs. ... The teams opened the season with a $154 million difference in opening-day payroll. Shows us that were on the right track, winning pitcher Josh Fields, who tossed a scoreless eighth on his 29th birthday, said. Were playing a lot better baseball than last year. ... Robbie Grossman (Houston Cypress-Fairbanks HS) hit a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning, and Houston chased Chris Capuano on his 36th birthday during a three-run sixth. Fowler led off with a triple and scored on Jason Castros tying groundout. After consecutive singles, both runners moved up when Jake Marisnicks groundout deflected off reliever Adam Warren. ... • • • • • • • 2. Unearned run beats Rangers in 10th inning< Defeats dont get much tougher than Tuesday nights 10th inning loss when the Miami Marlins beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Giancarlo Stantons walk-off single. ... Neal Cotts took the loss, but the run was unearned because of an error by first baseman Mike Carp that put the winning run on base. I thought we were going to get one tonight, but we let it get away, Rangers manager Ron Washington said. ... Hitting in the third spot, Carp brought a .193 average into the game and went 0-for-5. Alex Rios was scratched from Tuesday nights starting lineup with a bruised right thumb. Rios was replaced by Jim Adduci, who entered the game hitting .176 and was inserted in the fifth spot. ... When it was over, the Rangers went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, left 12 men on base and ended up losing, 4-3, in 10 innings. There are many reasons the Rangers have the worst record 48 77 .384) in baseball. But every once in a while they get a vivid reminder of one of the biggest reasons their season went south long ago. ... They were really counting on a healthy Prince Fielder in the middle of the lineup. Fielder was never really healthy and they havent had him for three months Thats why the Rangers found themselves in the once unfathomable position of not having an overwhelming advantage in offensive firepower when going up against a National League team. ... I was hoping we could put it away with one big hit, Washington said. Weve got to get better at driving in runs. We put ourselves in position, but we just didnt get it done. Texas runs scored on a fielders choice, an error and a bases-loaded walk. The Rangers tried to win it with small ball and might have pulled it off if Daniel Robertson had been able to drop down a squeeze bunt in the ninth. ... Elvis Andrus led off the inning with a single to right against Marlins reliever Steve Cishek. Carp popped out before Adrian Beltre hit a sharp grounder right at second baseman Donovan Solano, who misplayed it for an error. Instead of an inning-ending double play, the Rangers ended up with runners at the corners. ... With Robertson at the plate, Texas tried a squeeze. But the pitch was too far outside, Robertson couldnt get his bat on it and Andrus was tagged out in a rundown. Robertson walked, but Leonys Martin struck out to end the inning. I got to get that down, Robertson said. Ive got to do anything I can to get the bunt down. Instead I froze. ... That helped send the game into extra innings with Cotts on the mound to start the 10th. Jeff Baker, who played with the Rangers last season but was not re-signed as a free agent, started the Marlins one-out rally with a grounder to Beltre, but the Rangers third basemans throw to first was on the inside of the bag. Carp came off the base, caught the ball, had it knocked out of his glove as he went to tag Baker, with the first baseman charged with the error. ... Cotts then retired Christian Yelich on a line drive to shortstop for the second out, but Solano reached on an infield single. Washington then brought in Neftali Feliz to face Stanton. Washington had already called for four intentional walks in the game, the first time a Rangers manager had done that since 1991. But he wanted Feliz to pitch to Stanton. Feliz got ahead 1-2 in the count before Stanton lined a single to right to end the game. ... I felt like he could get him, Washington said. Make a pitch but dont make a mistake. If we walk him, walk him. He tried to go away off the plate and Stanton reached out and punched it. ... Rangers starter Miles Mikolas went five-plus innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, a walk and six strikeouts. He did a good job but Id like to see him go deeper in the game, Washington said. He really had a good breaking ball and life on his fastball. He just got his pitch count up. ... Marlins starter Jarred Cosart (Houston Clear Creek HS) gave his team six innings and allowed just one run on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He left with a 3-1 lead, but the Rangers rallied against the Marlins bullpen in the top of the seventh. ... Rougned Odor led off the inning with a double off the right-field wall. Stanton misplayed the carom, fumbled the ball when he finally got his glove on it and then stumbled trying to retrieve it. As he did, Odor came around to score. ... Miami pitcher A.J. Ramos then walked pinch-hitter J.P. Arencibia and gave up a single to Shin-Soo Choo. Andrus bunted the runners to second and third. Ramos struck out Carp and walked Beltre intentionally to load the bases. Redmond then brought in left-hander Mike Dunn to face Adduci, but Washington responded by sending up Robertson, who ended up drawing a walk to force in the tying run. ... • • • • • • • 3. Darvish may have seen final action for 2014< Yu Darvish has the Rangers backing off the idea of his return to the rotation and pitching next Tuesday against the Mariners. Talk is even circulating that Darvish will not return to the mound at all this season. ... Darvish is on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow, and he has not thrown a baseball since he tried to play catch a week ago in Arlington. Darvish did not travel with the Rangers for their two-game series with the Marlins. Darvish made his last start on Aug. 9, and was eligible to come off the DL next Monday. ... It doesnt appear he will be ready that quickly, and Darvish has already made it clear that he doesnt want to do anything that will jeopardize his long-term future. I dont know what is going to happen, manager Ron Washington said. Well just have to wait and see. ... • • • • • • • 4. Browns coach decides against Manziel as starter< What a difference a day makes. First-year Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine has decided on Brian Hoyer as starting quarterback for the Sept. 7 opener at Pittsburgh. ... Pettine put off the decision Tuesday but named Hoyer his Week 1 starter on Wednesday morning making Hoyers day. Hoyer is described as an inexperienced veteran and hometown hero coming back from knee surgery. ... Neither Hoyer nor Manziel, the hyped rookie and former Heisman Trophy winner, did much to win the job. In the end, Pettine pointed to Hoyers experience -- however limited -- in giving him the nod. ... He was the clear leader from the beginning, Pettine said of Hoyer. Weve maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player. Brian has done a great job in the meeting rooms and with his teammates on the practice field and in the locker room. ... Pettine delayed his decision after both Hoyer and Manziel played poorly in a 24-23 exhibition loss at Washington on Monday. During that game, Manziel made an obscene gesture to the Redskins sideline, an act Pettine said earlier would be factored into the decision. ... Manziel has shown flashes of his Johnny Football form in practices, but hes still struggling with an offense thats much more complex than the one he ran at Texas A&M. Hes certainly made great strides, Pettine said. ... We are pleased with where he is, and he has shown that he has come a long way in his ability to pick up the playbook, be coachable and lead an offense. We are confident that Johnny is going to have a great future, but we just felt that Brian still had a decided edge on him. ... • • • • • • • 5. Baseball Briefs: Kazmir gets 14th win in 6-2 Oakland victory< Scott Kazmir (Houston Cypress Falls HS) allowed one run and four hits in six innings to earn his career-best 14th win as Oakland beat the Mets 6-2. ... Carl Crawford (Houston Jeff Davis HS), on the DL much of the season, homered for the first time since May 23 and tied his season high with three RBIs in helping the Dodgers beat the Padres 8-6. ... Former Ranger Ian Kinsler opened the 11th with a triple and later scored as the Tigers beat the Rays 8-6. Joe Nathan, also a Ranger last year, recorded his 26th save. James Loney (Missouri City Elkins HS) hit a three-run home run for Tampa Bay and J.D. Martinez, who could never make it with the Astros in their worst years, hit a solo homer for the Tigers in the eighth inning. ... Braves catcher Evan Gattis (Forney HS) hit his 19th homer -- a tape-measure shot that landed halfway up the rotunda behind left field -- in Atlantas 11-3 thrashing over reeling Pittsburgh. ... St. Louis starter John Lackey (Abilene HS and UT-Arlington) gave up two earned runs in six innings and helped his cause with two hits and a run scored in the Cardinals 5-4 win over the Reds. ... Drew Stubbs (Texarkana HS and UT) hit his 13th homer of the season with one out in the ninth inning but the Rockies lost to Kansas City 7-4 at Coors Field. ... The Giants failed to cash in on a double by Hunter Pence (Arlington HS and UT-Arlington) in the first inning and ended up losing 2-0 to the Cubs after the Wrigley Field ground crew fumbled an effort to place a tarp on the field. After a delay of four hours, 34 minutes -- far beyond the hour and 35 minutes of play -- the playing surface was deemed unsafe. ... The Rangers are shutting down reliever Corey Knebel (Georgetown HS and UT) for the remainder of the season because of a sprained right elbow. Knebel was one of two pitchers acquired from the Tigers for reliever Joakim Soria. He was 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in nine games at Triple-A Round Rock and was a candidate to be called up in September. He pitched in eight games for the Tigers earlier this season. ... Astros outfielder Jesus Guzman was activated from the DL and southpaw pitcher Darin Downs placed on the DL, retroactive to Aug. 15, with a strained muscle on his right side. Guzman had been sidelined since Aug. 2 because of back spasms. ... Don Welke, former Rangers senior special assistant to the GM and one of the games most respected scouts, has joined new Padres GM A.J. Preller at San Diego. ... • • • • • • • 6. FYI: This blog features Texas teams and athletes with Texas connections. It is compiled by retired newspaper journalist Bob Sonderegger (anglebob61@yahoo) who covered many of the teams mentioned. Your comments or additions are welcome.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:00:08 +0000
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