The Babaganoush Sports Beat

What a game Monday night. And I say that in something less than a good way...a win is a win, but the first 12 or so innings of that game were maddening, frustrating, irritating, and just quite ridiculous. And yet, after all that, the Rangers won, the team is now 5 games up on the Angels, and Texas has clinched a winning road trip. I can’t count how many people I talked to via facebook and text that were screaming at their TVs for the game to be resolved in the Rangers favor. More than five hours after the first pitch, second baseman Ian Kinsler had the appropriate analogy for the Rangers' marathon win on Monday night. "This game was like the movie '300,'" Kinsler said, referring to a film about the ancient Spartans. "Take no prisoners. Give them nothing. Take everything." (one of the reasons why he’s The Franchise in my eyes). The Rangers were able to do just that in the top of the 14th inning when Nelson Cruz hit a 1-2 slider off reliever Enrique Gonzalez just down the right-field line and over the wall for a two-run home run that gave the Rangers an 8-6 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park. The home run allowed the Rangers to win their fourth in five games since the All-Star break, snap an 11-game losing streak at Comerica Park and up their lead to five games over the Angels in the American League West.

The game had its roller coaster moments between the first pitch and that miraculous homerun. For instance, Manager Ron Washington was kicked out of the game in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes, reliever Dustin Nippert had to leave the game in the sixth inning when he took a frightening line drive off the side of his head, and the Tigers lost third baseman Brandon Inge for 4-6 weeks after suffering a broken left hand when hit by a pitch from Scott Feldman in the third inning. It was quite a tussle, but the hero of the night for the Rangers was reliever Matt Harrison, who pitched four scoreless innings and 80 pitches in relief to get the victory. With one reliever at the hospital and three others already used up, Matt Harrison was going to keep pitching until the game was decided. The left-hander entered a tied game in the 10th inning and kept it that way over four frames. Along the way, he got out of a bases-loaded jam and somehow kept the toughest part of Detroit’s lineup from beating him. He also gave the toughest part of the Texas Rangers’ lineup continuous chances to win a game, which Cruz succeeded at.

The game came to a sudden halt in the sixth inning after Nippert was struck on the right side of his head on a liner by Tigers rookie and Denton native Austin Jackson. The ball caromed into left field for a double. As Jackson was heading toward second base, catcher Matt Treanor sprinted to the mound to aide Nippert, and assistant trainer Kevin Harmon also ran onto the field. Nippert was eventually helped to his feet, and he was steadied by Harmon as he walked off the field. Darren O'Day replaced Nippert and stranded Jackson at second base. Nippert was taken to Henry Ford Hospital for a precautionary exam. The results of the CT scan came back negative, and Nippert, who came back to the ballpark, was listed day-to-day. However, Tuesday morning he was placed on the disabled list and Doug Mathis was called up to take his spot in the bullpen.

Tanner Scheppers to bullpen at Triple A Oklahoma City
Right-hander Tanner Scheppers has been moved back into a relief role at Triple A as the Rangers attempt to create more depth in the bullpen later this season. Assistant general manager Thad Levine said that the Rangers view Scheppers in the same light as they did Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland last season. While the Rangers believe Scheppers will be a starter, his first exposure to the big leagues will likely be out of the bullpen. He struck out 19 and didn't walk a batter while posting a 0.82 ERA over 11 innings with Double A Frisco to start the season. His relief numbers at Triple A weren't as dominant, but he still had a 1.89 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19 innings. Manager Ron Washington said he would be surprised to see Scheppers with the Rangers before the roster expands in September.

Molina honored
Life is pretty sweet for Bengie Molina. He hit his first homer with the Rangers on Thursday, hit for the cycle Friday, figured out an equipment issue Saturday, and his tight right quadriceps muscle felt much better Sunday. On Monday, he was selected the American League player of the week. The veteran catcher went 5 for 12 with two homers and six RBIs in three games after the All-Star break. Molina should be back in the starting lineup tonight. He said his leg feels much better after two games off, and the Rangers have fashioned a pair of shin guards that eases the level of pressure on the sore area.

Cruz control
Nelson Cruz can admit that he was a tired right fielder before the All-Star break. He had pieced together a modest three-game hitting streak, but his body was drained and his swing was out of whack. But that streak was extended by four games, all multi-hit efforts, against Boston after Cruz took advantage of the break. He fished at an Arlington lake. He sat around his house. He soaked up some air conditioning. When the season resumed, he worked to make his swing shorter and quicker. Cruz had a busy four days in Boston, especially Saturday and Sunday. He was the Rangers' defensive star Saturday behind Cliff Lee, and he used his legs to create a run in the finale. After creating the go ahead runs for Monday night’s game and acting out a fake that kept Detroit’s Johnny Damon from scoring their winning run, it seems like Cruz is back into his groove.

Additional notes
- With increasing concern over First Baseman Chris Davis’ ability to produce offense, a source said that Florida third baseman Jorge Cantu could fill the Rangers' need for a right-handed-hitting corner infielder, but he is not a primary target. The Miami Herald reported that the Rangers have interest in Cantu, the Marlins' starter at third base.
- Infielder Andres Blanco rejoined the team in Detroit after spending the weekend with his wife and their son, who was born Saturday.
- Elvis Andrus had a three-hit game on Sunday to snap an 0-for-26 slump. The only other player in the past four years to snap an 0-for-25 or worse slump with a three-hit game was Tigers catcher Gerald Laird. He did so on May 16, 2009.
- Of the top 25 American League pitchers in ERA, the Rangers have faced 17 of them this season and have at least one victory against 13 of them.

*Dallas Cowboys report to training camp on Saturday, July 24. It's football time in Texas again!