Colby Lewis pitched a quality start and still took the loss.

In tonight’s game against the Minnesota Twins Colby Lewis pitched 6 inning giving up 2 earned runs, which is considered a quality start.  He still took the loss with the final score being 2-1 giving the Twins their second win in a row and charging Texas starter Colby Lewis with the loss dropping his record to 4-3 with a 3.41 ERA.

The Rangers have had two days off this week with a short series at Kansas City in the middle which the Rangers split with the Royals.  Tonight’s game started a three game weekend series between the Twins at their newly opened Target Field.  Before this season the Twins have played at the Metrodome which they shared with the Minnesota Vikings.

I can remember video on ESPN”s Sportscentershowing the ground crew shampooing the end zones from the Vikings Monday night game in order to make the dome ready for postseason baseball.  The Twins were ready t0 get out of the metrodome for several reason’s although it did provide them an home field advantage due to the roof in the dome.

I can understand the Twin’s reasoning for leaving the Metrodome, but I can guarantee they will wish they still had it when it is incredibly hot this summer and frigid this fall.  The newly opened Target field is an open air stadium which can never have a roof placed on it.  I am sure most of the Rangers were also ready to play the Twins outside of the Dome.

The Twins sent Kevin Slowey to the mound to face off against Lewis.  He pitched 6.2 innings giving up six hits, although only one run and one walk.  His performance was good enough tonight to get the ball to the Twins bullpen which pitched the last 2.1 innings only giving up one hit.

The Rangers bullpen took over in the seventh inning for Lewis and Darren Oliver pitched 1.2 innings with two strike outs and 1 hit.  Middle Reliever Frank Francisco pitched the last out of the eighth inning working around a walk and a hit before giving the Rangers one last opportunity to tie it in the ninth or take the lead.

Unfortunately the Rangers were only able to munster up one hit comming off the bat of David Murhpy in the ninth inning before first baseman Justin Smoak struck out swinging and the Twins won the game.  The Rangers only run of the evening came in the fourth inning on a RBI single off the bat of Vladimir Guerrero.

To start the fourth inning Michael Young grounded out before Ian Kinsler stepped up to the plate.  Kinsler sent a fly ball deep to left field and it was called a home run.  Kinsler rounded the bases and headed to the dugout before Twins manager Ron Gardenhire came out to argue the call.

The umpires then left the field to utilize the instant replay on home run calls and came out and overturned the play calling it a foul ball.  In Target field next to the foul pole there is about a 1-2 foot gap next to a wall where several feet up fans can stand although they are several feet higher than the fans fair territory.  The ball somehow seemed to make it through the tight gap and indeed was a foul ball.

Kinsler then came back out and doubled on a line drive to right field.  Vladimir Guerrero steps up to the plate and during his at bat Kinsler stole third to put him 90 feet away from tying the game.  Guerrero then singled on a line drive to right field and Kinsler scored the only run of the game.  Lewis eventually gave up another run, which was the winning run and the Rangers lost the game.