Rangers stunned by loss to MLB betting favorite Yankees in Game 1
Friday's loss to the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS might be one of those defeats that an inexperienced postseason team like the Rangers can never recover.
It was a tale of two games in the ALCS opener on Friday. The first game was all about the Texas Rangers who got to CC Sabathia for three runs in the first inning and held a five-zip lead behind CJ Wilson entering the seventh. The second part was all New York with the Yankees plating a run in the seventh and five in the eighth to rally for a 6-5 win in Game 1.
New York, a minus 140 MLB money line favorite in Friday's contest, stunned the Rangers and their fans with the rally. A perfect Texas autumn evening was ruined by a bunch of Yankees. I suspect even the boos aimed at Alex Rodriguez will be tempered later today in Game 2 when Texas will be desperate to level the series and avoid going to New York down two-love.
Game 2 will find a pair of right-handers squaring off with New York sending Phil Hughes (21-9, 4.02) to the mound against Texas' Colby Lewis (14-19, 3.62).
Hughes saw the Rangers just once this season, and that was s short one-inning stint out of the pen in September. This will be his third start against Texas for his career, with the previous two also coming here at Rangers Ballpark.
He should feel pretty confident taking to this mound. The single inning of relief upped his string of scoreless innings against the Rangers on their field to 15 1/3. Hughes' first major league win came at this park in May 2007 with 6 1/3 frames of zeroes. He followed that with eight shutout innings in May 2009, an 11-1 Yankees win in what closed as a pick 'em at the baseball betting window.
The former 1st-round pick out of Mission Viejo, CA, was spot on in his ALDS Game 3 start against the Twins. Hughes tossed seven innings of 4-hit, no-run baseball in the Yankees' 6-1 win to close out Minnesota. New York closed as 175 chalk at home in the contest, their second straight 'under' after a string of five 'overs.'
Lewis didn't face the Yankees this season and, in fact, will be pitching against the New York lineup for the first time since Aug. 2003. That was during his first stint with the Rangers when he opposed Roger Clemens in New York. The outcome was predictable as the Yanks cruised to a 6-2 win with all of their runs charged to Lewis' linescore.
Texas lost Lewis' start in Game 3 of the ALDS, 6-3, when Tampa Bay rallied with five late runs. Lewis whitewashed the Rays over the course of his five innings, allowing just two hits but also issuing five free passes. Texas was a slight 115 money line favorite in that match.
A few clouds will float above Rangers Ballpark for this contest, but there's no threat of rain. Saturday's afternoon high, which should hit just about first pitch, is forecast to be 86ºF with a southerly wind around 8-10 mph (straight in from right field).
Chicago native Tony Randazzo should have plate duty for this one and he really has no leans one direction or another based on his overall 2010 numbers. Home teams were 16-17 in his contests, with home 'dogs an even 6-6. The 'under' edged the 'over by a 17-14 margin with a pair of 'pushes.'
The teams take Sunday off before the series continues in New York on Monday. Game 3 will feature a dandy pitching matchup of left-handed veterans with Cliff Lee on the mound for Texas against the Yankees' Andy Pettitte. TBS' broadcast coverage begins at 8 p.m.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start, including the postseason.
Friday's loss to the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS might be one of those defeats that an inexperienced postseason team like the Rangers can never recover.
It was a tale of two games in the ALCS opener on Friday. The first game was all about the Texas Rangers who got to CC Sabathia for three runs in the first inning and held a five-zip lead behind CJ Wilson entering the seventh. The second part was all New York with the Yankees plating a run in the seventh and five in the eighth to rally for a 6-5 win in Game 1.
New York, a minus 140 MLB money line favorite in Friday's contest, stunned the Rangers and their fans with the rally. A perfect Texas autumn evening was ruined by a bunch of Yankees. I suspect even the boos aimed at Alex Rodriguez will be tempered later today in Game 2 when Texas will be desperate to level the series and avoid going to New York down two-love.
Game 2 will find a pair of right-handers squaring off with New York sending Phil Hughes (21-9, 4.02) to the mound against Texas' Colby Lewis (14-19, 3.62).
Hughes saw the Rangers just once this season, and that was s short one-inning stint out of the pen in September. This will be his third start against Texas for his career, with the previous two also coming here at Rangers Ballpark.
He should feel pretty confident taking to this mound. The single inning of relief upped his string of scoreless innings against the Rangers on their field to 15 1/3. Hughes' first major league win came at this park in May 2007 with 6 1/3 frames of zeroes. He followed that with eight shutout innings in May 2009, an 11-1 Yankees win in what closed as a pick 'em at the baseball betting window.
The former 1st-round pick out of Mission Viejo, CA, was spot on in his ALDS Game 3 start against the Twins. Hughes tossed seven innings of 4-hit, no-run baseball in the Yankees' 6-1 win to close out Minnesota. New York closed as 175 chalk at home in the contest, their second straight 'under' after a string of five 'overs.'
Lewis didn't face the Yankees this season and, in fact, will be pitching against the New York lineup for the first time since Aug. 2003. That was during his first stint with the Rangers when he opposed Roger Clemens in New York. The outcome was predictable as the Yanks cruised to a 6-2 win with all of their runs charged to Lewis' linescore.
Texas lost Lewis' start in Game 3 of the ALDS, 6-3, when Tampa Bay rallied with five late runs. Lewis whitewashed the Rays over the course of his five innings, allowing just two hits but also issuing five free passes. Texas was a slight 115 money line favorite in that match.
A few clouds will float above Rangers Ballpark for this contest, but there's no threat of rain. Saturday's afternoon high, which should hit just about first pitch, is forecast to be 86ºF with a southerly wind around 8-10 mph (straight in from right field).
Chicago native Tony Randazzo should have plate duty for this one and he really has no leans one direction or another based on his overall 2010 numbers. Home teams were 16-17 in his contests, with home 'dogs an even 6-6. The 'under' edged the 'over by a 17-14 margin with a pair of 'pushes.'
The teams take Sunday off before the series continues in New York on Monday. Game 3 will feature a dandy pitching matchup of left-handed veterans with Cliff Lee on the mound for Texas against the Yankees' Andy Pettitte. TBS' broadcast coverage begins at 8 p.m.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start, including the postseason.
