Another Shutout for Derek Holland in Rangers 3-0 Win Over Blue Jays

Derek Holland got his fourth consecutive win decision Saturday with the 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. It was a four-hit shutout for the young lefty sending him into the double digits in wins this season for the first time ever. He now has four shutouts for the 2011 MLB season, which leads the American League but also ties him with former Ranger Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies in the Major Leagues. Holland now likes just two shutouts to match the Rangers club record of most shutouts in a season, which is shared by Fergie Jenkins in 1974 and Bert Blyleven in 1976 – both Hall of Famers.

Holland walked only one batter and struck out five hitters. He threw a total of 95 pitches – an impressive 69 of which were strikes. Over the initial five innings of the game, Holland only allowed just two hits from Jose Bautista and John McDonald. He then struck out J.P. Arencibia and went out to get 12 straight outs.

Rangers’ Offense

Mike Napoli started the second inning off with a single off of Brad Mills followed by a home run by Mitch Moreland, which was his 13th of the year and his first off a left-handed pitcher. This got the score 2-0 early in the game. No runs were scored again until the eighth inning when Mike Napoli hit a home run, which was his 15th of the season.

2B Ian Kinsler ended the 0-for-20 slump that he has been in with a lead-off single in the fifth inning. In his previous four games, Kins hadn’t safely hit.

Game Notes

Nelson Cruz was out of Saturday’s lineup after having left Friday’s game with a tight left quadriceps. Elvis Andrus was also held out of the lineup after hurting his sore right knee Friday. Josh Hamilton also wasn’t in the lineup but was in the outfield in the ninth inning.

With what seemed to be a very strange lineup for Ron Washington to go with apparently worked out pretty well for him today. It was weird for Hamilton to have the day off when Andrus and Cruz needed to be off for day-to-day injuries. Michael Young started at first while Mitch Moreland was out in right field with Yorvit Torrealba at DH.