ARLINGTON -- Before delving into all that Derek Holland did poorly Wednesday, give him a little credit for what he did right.
He shaved that silly mustache that had become nearly as famous as he was.He worked a 1-2-3 first inning with two strikeouts.He correctly found his way to the ballpark.The Texas Rangers, though, probably wish he had gotten lost. He lost it on the mound after the first inning, surrendering eight runs in the second inning while recording only two outs.Yoshinori Tateyama wasn't any better the next inning, and Seattle just kept on scoring en route to a 21-8 victory.The 21 runs are the most in the majors this season, are the second-most allowed in club history and are tied for the most allowed in a home game. The Rangers' single-game record for runs allowed is 23 to Oakland on Sept. 30, 2000."There's nothing really encouraging from today's game. It was a beat-down," third baseman Michael Young said. "It was their game from start to finish, so we need to flush it down the toilet and come back ready to play Friday."The Rangers are off today, mercifully, as their overworked relievers get a chance to freshen up. But they have very little momentum ahead of their 10-game road trip, which begins with three games against the hottest team in baseball, second-place Anaheim.The Angels trailed New York 6-5 at press time. A win would have been their ninth straight and moved them within 4 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the American League West."It'll be June, a lot of games left," manager Ron Washington said. "Either they're going to win the series or we're going to win the series. That's how we look at it."Not everything stunk for the Rangers, who collected 13 hits. That included two doubles each for Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton.Alexi Ogando rebounded with a scoreless inning after failing to get an out in the eighth Tuesday as the Mariners scored six times.But the Mariners trumped that big inning twice Wednesday, despite getting shut down by Holland on 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning.Six of the Mariners' runs in the second inning came with two outs as seven straight reached before Washington removed Holland after 1 2/3 innings. Dustin Ackley and Jesus Montero hit homers against the left-hander, who has surrendered nine in 61 2/3 innings this year.Holland (4-4) said that he looked at the video but couldn't find anything wrong mechanically between the two innings or even between his start Friday against Toronto."The blank just hit the fan," he said. "I wish I could say what I really wanted to say. I'm going to shake it off. Tomorrow is a new day."The Mariners put up another snowman in the third, marking only the seventh time in major league history that a team has scored at least eight runs in consecutive innings.Justin Smoak, the Rangers' No. 1 pick in 2008, had the big blow in that frame against Tateyama, a three-run shot into the Rangers' bullpen.Smoak would add a three-run homer in the eighth to push Seattle past the 20-run barrier. His six RBIs were a career-high.The Rangers' offense finally figured out Blake Beavan, the club's No. 1 pick in 2008. They had been shut down for five innings, but scored five times in the sixth as they batted around."We got beat in the second and third innings with two eight-spots," Washington said. "We've got to live with it."Jeff Wilson, 817-390-7760Twitter: @JeffWilson_FWSTWas the signing of pitcher Roy Oswalt a good deal for the Rangers?
Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
