Colby Lewis went 6.2 innings, and only gave up one run. He only struck out four hitters, but but come help from his defense. Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler made two great plays on balls hit up the middle. If either one of them would have went through, it could have proved to be a turning point, as there were men on base on both occasions. In game one of the series, both pitchers had good lines, but neither pitched particularly well. Both let base runners on, especially early in the game, but managed to get out of it. This game was different, as the hitters were rarely reaching base, and the early part of the game moved at a brick pace, and didn't have the same laboring feeling as game one.
Lance Berkman appears to have two true outcomes when he's at the plate in this series. He either hits the ball to the second baseman or strikes out. He hit the ball to the third baseman once this series, every other at bat has ended in a strikeout or ball hit towards second base. Ron Washington was playing a slight shift on him tonight, with Ian Kinsler shading to take away the hole between first and second, and playing a little deep. It hasn't worked very well so far, as Berkman has one infield hit, and reached on an error that could have been an infield hit. I think that what the Rangers need to do is play a more exaggerated shift. I propose something like this:
Lance Berkman appears to have two true outcomes when he's at the plate in this series. He either hits the ball to the second baseman or strikes out. He hit the ball to the third baseman once this series, every other at bat has ended in a strikeout or ball hit towards second base. Ron Washington was playing a slight shift on him tonight, with Ian Kinsler shading to take away the hole between first and second, and playing a little deep. It hasn't worked very well so far, as Berkman has one infield hit, and reached on an error that could have been an infield hit. I think that what the Rangers need to do is play a more exaggerated shift. I propose something like this:
I still think that Texas's lineup construction is going to come back to hurt them in this series. Before the game, Ron Washington said he's going to leave Josh Hamilton in the third spot in the order because, "he's hit there all year, he'll figure it out." Josh Hamilton is hurt, it's not like he's just going through a slump. You can't just "figure it out" when you're hurt, it doesn't work that way. Keeping a struggling player high in the order when he's hurt because he's hit there all year it the kind of thinking that loses games for you.
Ian Kinsler has been hitting well, getting on base in five of eight plate appearances so far this series. Washington seems content to let Andrus try to bunt him over most of the time. This has been followed by a weak at bat from Josh Hamilton. Kinsler's ability to get on base has been wasted up to this point by Hamilton and Andrus making outs behind him. Mike Napoli didn't have a hit tonight, but lined out twice, once to third base, and once to right field. He'd be a much better option at the top of the order than either of these player.
Through two games, it appears that the game is moving too fast for Ron Washington. He made a few questionable calls last night, and none of them worked. Tonight, he did the exact same thing on multiple occasions. I'm not going to fault him for bringing in Alexi Ogando to face Allen Craig again, because Ogando held right handed opponents to a .560 OPS during the regular season. Tonight, Ogando missed his spot when Craig served a single into shallow right center to give the Cardinals the lead. However, in the eight inning, Washington pinch hit David Murphy for Craig Gentry. This prompted Tony La Russa to bring in Marc Rzepcynski for Fernando Salas. Washington then removed David Murphy before he actually got to the plate for Yorvit Torrealba. Torrealba struck out, and then had to be replaced again on defense. Craig Gentry vs Fernando Salas is just as good a matchup as Yorvit Torrealba vs Marc Rzepcynski, and it doesn't eliminate three of your bench players. The Rangers lack of a right handed bench bat looks like it will continue to be a problem, as La Russa seems to plan on using Rzepcynski against the bottom of the order, and letting Washington use up his bench players, for a minimal gain.
Tony La Russa wasn't without his own ill advised moves. To start out the top of the ninth, Tony brought it Jason Motte to face the top of the Rangers order. Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus both hit singles in front of an outfield that was playing "no doubles defense." While Andrus was at bat, Kinsler stole second on a very close David Roberts-esque play. Then on Andrus' single, Kinsler was held up at third, but when Pujols botched the throw back to the infield, Andrus advanced to second. The no doubles defense is a tactic almost as bad as the sacrifice bunt. It opens up big patches of green space for balls to land. With Josh Hamilton coming up, La Russa went to Arthur Rhodes. This was a mistake because in that situation, you need a strikeout, and Motte is your best option for a strikeout. Also, following Hamilton were more right handed hitters, and this forced a lesser pitcher into the game to face them. Hamilton hit a sac fly to score Kinsler and advance Andrus to third, and then Michael Young hit a sac fly off of Lance Lynn to score the go ahead run. I know La Russa doesn't call Motte his closer because he likes to play the match ups, but even in that situation, where he's let two batters on and facing a lefty, he needs to be left in because his strikeout ability gives him the best chance to get out of the inning with the lead or a tie.
The Rangers won tonight in a game that St. Louis should have had. They got a good start from their starter, got a lead, turned it over to their bullpen, but couldn't convert it into a win. The Rangers scrapped to score in this game, but the advantage they have on defense and running the bases tonight came into play as the Rangers stole a game from the Cardinals to level the series before it shifts to Arlington.
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