June 20, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton (32) high-fives batting coach Scott Coolbaugh (12) after the Rangers beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 at PETCO Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

I wrote a couple of days ago about Alberto Gonzalez and that he would have to be called upon in a big spot and today he came through, with a single to score the Rangers first run. People talk about how pinch hitting is the hardest job in sports. How about going 20 days with two at bats and coming through with an RBI single. Yes, he left three men on base today but come on. Anything this team gets from Gonzalez is a bonus.

Darvish also had a workhorse outing. He fought through eight innings after getting into trouble in the first couple of innings. It was the sight of the World Baseball Classic that really put Darvish on the map and he really settled down and allowed the Rangers bats to get going. Most importantly, he didn’t get flustered after giving up a two-run single to the opposing pitcher that maybe a first baseman not named Michael Young would have gotten to.

I have been really impressed with Darvish. Not only his stuff but his composure. Hard to believe he is only 25 years old and in his first Major League season. With Roy Oswalt coming, maybe he can even learn a thing or two more from a pitcher who has been almost around longer than the rest of the rotation combined.

The Rangers are now on a six game winning streak and are 10-2 in their last 12 games. The team that struggled through an under-.500 May has used the National League to get back their swagger. This team is back to being the team that makes you wonder how they are going to lose. When they play like they have against San Diego and Houston – teams in the bottom tier of the league to be sure – they show just how strong they are from top to bottom and even people who are struggling – Young and Mike Napoli – don’t tend to bring the team down.

Texas now goes home to face the Colorado Rockies for their final three interleague games. They sit at 12-3 right now and while they haven’t been playing the best the National League has to offer, they are winning teams they should be beating.

Feldman threw six innings in his longest outing of the season before Robbie Ross and Tanner Scheppers came in to close out the deal. Scheppers struggled a little bit which forced Joe Nathan to warm up in the bullpen but the crisis was averted when Scheppers retired Cameron Maybin on strikes.

Josh Hamilton returned to the Rangers lineup after missing four games with a virus that had him hospitalized Friday. No roster move was made since he never left the 25-man roster but you have to figure Leonys Martin will be sent down as soon as the Rangers return to American League baseball and will continue with a four-man bench and recall a pitcher. Things could change, though, depending on the severity of Mitch Moreland’s injury. He left the game early with a strained hamstring. Michael Young finished the game at first base for the Rangers.

June 19, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton (left) scores on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Adrian Beltre (not pictured) as San Diego Padres catcher Nick Hundley cannot hold onto the ball through the tag during the third inning at PETCO Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Hamilton had probably the most important hit of the ballgame. He had a two-run triple in the third inning to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead and scored on Adrian Beltre’s sacrifice fly to make it 3-1 which became the winning run.

With the win, the Rangers have at least 9 wins in their last 12 games against National League opponents and will go to make it a 10-2 stretch tomorrow evening (5:35 CT) when Yu Darvish faces off against Anthony Bass. While the NL opponents aren’t the best teams the Rangers will face this season, it did allow them to turn around what was a tough beginning of the month losing back-to-back series against division rivals Los Angeles and Oakland.

Feldman was the star of the game for the Rangers tonight, and if they can count on that until Derek Holland, Roy Oswalt or Neftali Feliz are ready, he may be able to change his fate once the bullpen log jam occurs.

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