Baseball Guru
04-11-2002, 05:29 AM
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
April 10, 2002, 11:16 PM EDT
ARLINGTON, Texas -- John Rocker got his first save in Texas and Rusty Greer hit his first homer in more than 10 months as the Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 4-2 Wednesday night for just their second victory.
Both Texas wins have come against Cory Lidle (0-2), who gave up Greer's one-out homer in the fifth that broke a 2-2 tie.
Carl Everett stopped a 2-for-26 slump with an RBI single in the eighth off former Texas reliever Mike Venafro, the fourth of five Oakland pitchers.
Rocker, who blew his first save opportunity after coming in with a 3-2 lead in the ninth Tuesday night, threw called third strikes past Greg Myers and Olmedo Saenz, gave up a single to Carlos Pena, then got Jeremy Giambi to look at a third strike.
The Rangers are 2-6, their worst start since 1995. They are 3 games behind the AL West-leading A's, who went on to win 5-4 in 11 innings on Tuesday after scoring a run off Rocker in the ninth.
There were no recurring fireworks from last Thursday's game in Oakland when Lidle twice hit Alex Rodriguez with pitches.
After the second time, Rodriguez shouted at Lidle as the benches cleared. There were no punches thrown, but the Rangers scored five times that inning, erasing a 2-1 deficit as they went on to win 7-5.
Greer's previous homer was June 8 against Houston. He went on the disabled list four days later and didn't play again last season, when he had career lows with 62 games played and seven homers.
Rangers starter Dave Burba (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits over 5 2-3 innings, with five walks and three strikeouts. In his two starts, both against the A's, Burba has nine walks and nine strikeouts in 10 2-3 innings.
Rookie Colby Lewis struck out four in 2 1-3 innings before giving way to Rocker.
Lidle struck out five and walked one, allowing three runs (two earned) and seven hits.
Oakland led 2-0 after consecutive RBI singles by Terrence Long and Miguel Tejada followed two of the three walks by Burba in the first.
The Rangers got even with a run in each of the first two innings. Ivan Rodriguez had a sacrifice fly in the first and Kevin Mench drove in a run with his first major league hit, a single to left in the second.
Mench started in right field in place of Juan Gonzalez, day to day with a deep bruise around the thumb of his right hand. Gonzalez was supposed to see a hand specialist Wednesday night.
Notes:@ Alex Rodriguez has started 233 straight games, including all 170 since coming to Texas. ... It was the first time this season that Oakland didn't homer. ... The Athletics are 35-7 their last 42 regular season games. ... Everett struck out his first three at-bats, putting him 2-for-26 with 10 strikeouts since a homer on opening day. After a called third strike in the fourth, Everett had a few words with home plate umpire Dale Scott. At first base was Ron Kulpa, the umpire Everett exploded in anger at during a game in the 2000 season when he was with Boston. Everett had to be restrained by teammates and coaches. He was suspended for 10 games.
AP Sports Writer
April 10, 2002, 11:16 PM EDT
ARLINGTON, Texas -- John Rocker got his first save in Texas and Rusty Greer hit his first homer in more than 10 months as the Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 4-2 Wednesday night for just their second victory.
Both Texas wins have come against Cory Lidle (0-2), who gave up Greer's one-out homer in the fifth that broke a 2-2 tie.
Carl Everett stopped a 2-for-26 slump with an RBI single in the eighth off former Texas reliever Mike Venafro, the fourth of five Oakland pitchers.
Rocker, who blew his first save opportunity after coming in with a 3-2 lead in the ninth Tuesday night, threw called third strikes past Greg Myers and Olmedo Saenz, gave up a single to Carlos Pena, then got Jeremy Giambi to look at a third strike.
The Rangers are 2-6, their worst start since 1995. They are 3 games behind the AL West-leading A's, who went on to win 5-4 in 11 innings on Tuesday after scoring a run off Rocker in the ninth.
There were no recurring fireworks from last Thursday's game in Oakland when Lidle twice hit Alex Rodriguez with pitches.
After the second time, Rodriguez shouted at Lidle as the benches cleared. There were no punches thrown, but the Rangers scored five times that inning, erasing a 2-1 deficit as they went on to win 7-5.
Greer's previous homer was June 8 against Houston. He went on the disabled list four days later and didn't play again last season, when he had career lows with 62 games played and seven homers.
Rangers starter Dave Burba (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits over 5 2-3 innings, with five walks and three strikeouts. In his two starts, both against the A's, Burba has nine walks and nine strikeouts in 10 2-3 innings.
Rookie Colby Lewis struck out four in 2 1-3 innings before giving way to Rocker.
Lidle struck out five and walked one, allowing three runs (two earned) and seven hits.
Oakland led 2-0 after consecutive RBI singles by Terrence Long and Miguel Tejada followed two of the three walks by Burba in the first.
The Rangers got even with a run in each of the first two innings. Ivan Rodriguez had a sacrifice fly in the first and Kevin Mench drove in a run with his first major league hit, a single to left in the second.
Mench started in right field in place of Juan Gonzalez, day to day with a deep bruise around the thumb of his right hand. Gonzalez was supposed to see a hand specialist Wednesday night.
Notes:@ Alex Rodriguez has started 233 straight games, including all 170 since coming to Texas. ... It was the first time this season that Oakland didn't homer. ... The Athletics are 35-7 their last 42 regular season games. ... Everett struck out his first three at-bats, putting him 2-for-26 with 10 strikeouts since a homer on opening day. After a called third strike in the fourth, Everett had a few words with home plate umpire Dale Scott. At first base was Ron Kulpa, the umpire Everett exploded in anger at during a game in the 2000 season when he was with Boston. Everett had to be restrained by teammates and coaches. He was suspended for 10 games.