Baseball Guru
04-05-2002, 05:13 AM
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
April 4, 2002, 7:50 PM EST
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pair of pitches, causing the benches to empty, and the Texas Rangers ended the Oakland Athletics' 20-game home winning streak, 7-5 Thursday.
The Athletics' string was the fifth-longest in the majors since 1901. They had not lost at the Coliseum in the regular season since last Aug. 24 against Detroit, though the Yankees beat them there in the playoffs.
John Rocker made his first appearance for Texas and had trouble holding a 7-2 lead in the ninth inning.
The first two batters reached base against Rocker and rookie Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer. With one out, Frank Menechino singled and Scott Hatteberg walked. Rocker stayed in the game and hung on, getting David Justice on a fly ball and striking out Miguel Tejada.
Bill Haselman hit a three-run home run as the Rangers recorded their first victory of the season after three losses to the A's. Texas had lost six straight overall to Oakland.
When Rodriguez was plunked by Cory Lidle (0-1) for the second time to lead off sixth inning, he stared angrily and cursed at the right-hander. The benches emptied, but no scuffles ensued and there were no ejections.
The Rangers went on to score five runs in the inning.
Doug Davis (1-0), who was 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA against the A's last season, allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five.
Frank Catalanotto and Carl Everett each singled to lead off the game, and Lidle loaded the bases by hitting Rodriguez in the upper left arm. Juan Gonzalez hit into a double play as Catalanotto scored.
The A's tied it in the fourth on Tejada's double and Olmedo Saenz's sacrifice fly.
Justice hit an RBI single in the fifth inning to give the A's a temporary 2-1 lead. Justice was 7-for-15 with five RBIs in the series.
After Rodriguez was hit in the sixth, Gonzalez singled and Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run double to put the Rangers up 3-2.
Haselman homered off Mike Venafro later in the inning. He now has eight home runs and 23 RBI against Oakland, his highest totals against any team.
His next time up to bat, Alex Rodriguez was booed loudly, but got his first hit of the season, a single up the middle. He scored on Rafael Palmeiro's sacrifice fly.
A-Rod finished 1-for-13 in the series against Oakland.
The A's were without Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez, who left Wednesday night's game after the seventh inning because of tightness in his lower back. He was not in the lineup Thursday.
Notes:@ Texas RHP Chan Ho Park was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring. Park, who signed a $65 million, five-year contract with the Rangers in the offseason, originally hurt his hamstring during a spring training game against Minnesota on March 27. He aggravated it in his start Monday on opening day against Oakland. To fill his place on the roster, the Rangers recalled RHP Francisco Cordova from Triple-A Oklahoma. ... The Rangers acquired outfielder Rashad Eldridge from the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Chris Magruder. ... The Athletics' franchise record for consecutive wins at home is 22, established July 15-Aug. 31 1931, when the team was based in Philadelphia.
AP Sports Writer
April 4, 2002, 7:50 PM EST
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pair of pitches, causing the benches to empty, and the Texas Rangers ended the Oakland Athletics' 20-game home winning streak, 7-5 Thursday.
The Athletics' string was the fifth-longest in the majors since 1901. They had not lost at the Coliseum in the regular season since last Aug. 24 against Detroit, though the Yankees beat them there in the playoffs.
John Rocker made his first appearance for Texas and had trouble holding a 7-2 lead in the ninth inning.
The first two batters reached base against Rocker and rookie Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer. With one out, Frank Menechino singled and Scott Hatteberg walked. Rocker stayed in the game and hung on, getting David Justice on a fly ball and striking out Miguel Tejada.
Bill Haselman hit a three-run home run as the Rangers recorded their first victory of the season after three losses to the A's. Texas had lost six straight overall to Oakland.
When Rodriguez was plunked by Cory Lidle (0-1) for the second time to lead off sixth inning, he stared angrily and cursed at the right-hander. The benches emptied, but no scuffles ensued and there were no ejections.
The Rangers went on to score five runs in the inning.
Doug Davis (1-0), who was 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA against the A's last season, allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five.
Frank Catalanotto and Carl Everett each singled to lead off the game, and Lidle loaded the bases by hitting Rodriguez in the upper left arm. Juan Gonzalez hit into a double play as Catalanotto scored.
The A's tied it in the fourth on Tejada's double and Olmedo Saenz's sacrifice fly.
Justice hit an RBI single in the fifth inning to give the A's a temporary 2-1 lead. Justice was 7-for-15 with five RBIs in the series.
After Rodriguez was hit in the sixth, Gonzalez singled and Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run double to put the Rangers up 3-2.
Haselman homered off Mike Venafro later in the inning. He now has eight home runs and 23 RBI against Oakland, his highest totals against any team.
His next time up to bat, Alex Rodriguez was booed loudly, but got his first hit of the season, a single up the middle. He scored on Rafael Palmeiro's sacrifice fly.
A-Rod finished 1-for-13 in the series against Oakland.
The A's were without Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez, who left Wednesday night's game after the seventh inning because of tightness in his lower back. He was not in the lineup Thursday.
Notes:@ Texas RHP Chan Ho Park was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring. Park, who signed a $65 million, five-year contract with the Rangers in the offseason, originally hurt his hamstring during a spring training game against Minnesota on March 27. He aggravated it in his start Monday on opening day against Oakland. To fill his place on the roster, the Rangers recalled RHP Francisco Cordova from Triple-A Oklahoma. ... The Rangers acquired outfielder Rashad Eldridge from the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Chris Magruder. ... The Athletics' franchise record for consecutive wins at home is 22, established July 15-Aug. 31 1931, when the team was based in Philadelphia.