Texas Rangers Look to Derek Holland to Keep the Tampa Bay Rays from Having Another Explosive Night

After ending the 2011 MLB regular season with the best record in franchise history, the Texas Rangers do not even look like the same team. After gaining home-field advantage over the Detroit Tigers, the Rangers came home to start the postseason.

Last night, the AL West Division champs fell to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the 2011 ALDS. The Tampa Bay Rays scored nine runs on C.J. Wilson and the participating bullpen while the Rangers didn’t score a single run – and what’s worse than that is they only got two hits for the entire night off rookie Matt Moore.

What in the world is going on? This smoking hot team has turned a corner – and it wasn’t the right corner! The Rangers will look to left-handed Derek Holland tonight to strike out the Rays and keep them from scoring runs. However, Holland needs some help. The offense was awful last night and the bats are going to need to step up several notches if they plan on giving themselves any chance at all at making it to the 2011 ALCS. The Rangers will be facing Tampa Bay Rays’ pitcher James Shields.

Game 2 of the American League Division Series starts at 6:00 p.m. local time (CST) and is being broadcast on TNT. I’m hoping that I’m not disappointed!