Hamels dominant as Rangers top Twins 4-1
Cole Hamels allowed only an unearned run in an efficient complete game Saturday, and Nomar Mazara launched a two-run homer in the first inning as the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1.
Hamels (6-1) needed only 96 pitches for his first complete game since the regular-season finale in 2015, when he beat the Los Angeles Angels to clinch the American League West title.
Robinson Chirinos drove in the other two with a sacrifice fly in the second and a single in the ninth after Carlos Gomez stole the 250th base of his career.
How Rangers hitters fared: They did enough. Nomar Mazara got things rolling in the first with a two-run shot to left-center field, his 14th homer of the season. ... Robinson Chirinos plated another run with a sacrifice fly in the second. ... Eight different players had a hit, and the one who didn’t, Shin-Soo Choo, was robbed of a single in the seventh. ... Chirinos added a second RBI with a single in the ninth. ... Joey Gallo delivered an opposite-field liner for a hit, giving him singles in consecutive games. He now has 20 singles on the season, nine fewer than he has homers.
How Rangers pitchers fared: The Twins were no match for Cole Hamels, who worked quickly and was wildly efficient. ... Hamels got through the first two innings on 15 pitches, was at 36 through four, 63 through six and 69 through seven. ... He helped himself with a pickoff in the third inning and was aided by Drew Robinson throwing out a runner at second base in the fourth. ... Hamels needed 16 pitches in the eighth, which matched the fifth for his longest inning. ... The Twins’ run came in the fifth and was aided by a throwing error by Robinson Chirinos. ... Hamels allowed only four hits and walked only one while striking out five.
Jeff Wilson: 817-390-7760, @JeffWilson_FWST
Texas | 210 | 000 | 001 | — | 4 | 8 | 1 |
Minnesota | 000 | 010 | 000 | — | 1 | 4 | 0 |
Texas AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Choo dh | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .253 |
Andrus ss | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .294 |
Mazara rf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .247 |
Beltre 3b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .292 |
Odor 2b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .219 |
Napoli 1b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .201 |
Gallo lf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .206 |
Robinson cf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .214 |
Gomez ph-cf | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .254 |
Chirinos c | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .212 |
Totals 33 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 10 | ||
Minnesota AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Dozier 2b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .247 |
Grossman dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .247 |
Escobar 3b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .265 |
Gimenez c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .202 |
Rosario lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .285 |
Buxton cf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .217 |
Adrianza 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .281 |
Kepler rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .246 |
Polanco ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .215 |
Totals 29 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||
E—Chirinos (4). LOB—Texas 6, Minnesota 2. 2B—Polanco (17). HR—Mazara (14), off Gibson. RBIs—Mazara 2 (68), Chirinos 2 (28), Adrianza (14). SB—Gomez (11), Buxton (18). CS—Dozier (6). SF—Chirinos.
Runners left in scoring position—Texas 2; Minnesota 1. DP—Minnesota 1.
Texas | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP | ERA |
Hamels, W 6-1 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 96 | 3.59 |
Minnesota | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP | ERA |
Gibson, L, 6-9 | 5 1/3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 97 | 6.03 |
Boshers | 2/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3.95 |
Pressly | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 6.03 |
Rogers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 3.92 |
Inherited runners-scored—Boshers 2-0. HBP—Rogers (Gomez). Umpires—Home, Mark Wegner; First, Marty Foster; Second, Mike Muchlinski; Third, Ryan Blakney. T—2:41. A—27,415 (39,021).
This story was originally published August 5, 2017 at 9:37 PM with the headline "Hamels dominant as Rangers top Twins 4-1."