Visiting Rangers beat Rays again for 2-0 lead

Published November 20, 2014

ST PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - The visiting Texas Rangers blanked the Tampa Bay Rays 6-0 on Thursday to claim a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.

Home runs by Ian Kinsler and Michael Young backed the two-hit shutout pitching of starter C.J. Wilson and two relievers to put Texas one win away from registering the first postseason triumph in the 50-year existence of the franchise.

Kinsler hit a solo homer in the fourth inning off Rays starter James Shields, and Young gave Texas some breathing room by greeting reliever Chad Qualls with a controversial three-run shot to center during a four-run fifth.

For Tampa Bay, the AL East champions who posted the league's best record, it was another frustrating day at the plate following the 10-strikeout, no-walk performance on Wednesday by Texas starter Cliff Lee in a 5-1 win.

"The Rangers have outplayed us for two games," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We did not play well. We definitely have not put our best foot forward yet."

The Rays have scored one run on just eight hits in the first two games at their Tropicana Field home park.

Tampa Bay frustrations hit a peak during a fifth inning that broke Game Two open.

Starter Shields never looked comfortable on the mound, hitting Rangers catcher Matt Treanor twice with pitches and throwing wildly on a pickoff play at first to let the first run score in the third inning.

In the fifth, after Shields hit Treanor for the second time and allowed a one-out single to Elvis Andrus, Qualls was called on in relief.

Qualls got to a 2-2 count on Young, who tried to check his swing on the next offering to avoid striking out. The umpires ruled he held up and the Rangers dugout erupted in dispute.

Given a second life, Young crushed the next pitch over the center-field wall to transform a 2-0 lead into a 5-0 rout.

Maddon came out to the mound following the homer and gave the umpires his animated view on the checked swing before he was ejected from the game.

Asked if he might have caught a break, Young told reporters: "Maybe. I was just happy he let me have another crack at it."

Said Maddon: "That was a pretty big moment right there. I really thought he had been struck out."

Maddon said he and the Rays had not given up hope.

"They've pitched really well against us," said the Rays manager, whose team has to win the next two games in Texas to return home for a decisive Game Five. "It's not too late. We just have to get back to the Trop on Tuesday."

(Writing by Larry Fine, Editing by Steve Ginsburg)

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/visiting-rangers-beat-rays-again-for-2-0-lead