Rangers beat Tigers in the 14th inning…

After taking two of three games from Boston to start the second half of the season the Rangers won the first game of a three game series against the Detroit Tigers in the 14th inning.  It was a crazy outing with a reliever getting hit by a line drive to the side of his head and Manager Ron Washington was ejected for the fourth time this season arguing balls and strikes from the dugout.

Starter Scott Feldman started the game and pitched five innings giving up 7 hits and five earned runs.  In 19 games started this season Feldman currently has a record of 5-8 with a 5.48 ERA.  He gave way to reliever Dustin Nippert who recorded one out and a hit before being hit in the head by a line drive off of lea doff hitter Austin Jackson.  Nippert is listed at 6’8″ and I am sure most pitchers the ball would have just sailed over their head.

Darren O’Day relieved Nippert and got the final two outs of the inning working around one walk.  Alexi Ogando then pitched 1.1 innings giving up one hit and one run with one run and one strikeout.  In the eighth  inning with the Rangers leading by one run, Ogando gave up a single to Raman Santiago and he ended up on second base on an throwing error by Michael Young.  Ogando then walked the next batter to put men on first and second.

Frank Francisco then replaced Ogando and gave up a single to Johnny Damon on a one out full count scored Santiago and moving base runnerAustin Jackson to third base.  Francisco then retired the next two batters and pitched a scoreless ninth inning, although he was credited with a blown save.

Starter converted reliever Matt Harrison then pitched four scoreless innings with 2 hits and four walks and strikeouts.  In the top of the 14th inningVladimirGuerrero led off the inning with a ground out before Josh Hamilton walked on a 3-1 count.  Nelson Cruz then saved the day by sending a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall to score him and Hamilton to put the Rangers up 8-6.  Neftali Feliz then pitched the bottom of the 14th inning picking up his 25th save of the season giving up only one hit.

The Rangers improved their record to 54-38 leading the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by five games.  The Rangers have a pretty amazing season so far and have pretty much plugged their roster effectively by acquiring catcher Benjie Molina and Starter Cliff Lee.  In four games back since the All-Star break the Rangers three out of the four games.