Harrison, Choo shine as Rangers roll past Rockies
Left-hander Matt Harrison was back on the mound for the Texas Rangers, continuing a stunning comeback from major back surgery even though the results from his first start were unremarkable.
Shin-Soo Choo returned to the starting lineup apparently as a part-time player with only one start in the Rangers’ previous four games.
Both turned in remarkable performances Tuesday night.
Harrison gave plenty of reason for optimism against the Rockies, scattering seven hits in six scoreless innings at a mile high and throwing 11 pitches at 90 or 91 mph as the Rangers rolled to a 9-0 victory.
“Incredible night for Matt Harrison,” manager Jeff Banister said. “I think he found a rhythm and did what you have to do in this ballpark. All in all what a great night for everybody.”
Shin-Soo Choo was the star offensively, hitting for the cycle for the first time in his career and for the eighth time in club history. He collected a double, a homer, a single and three RBIs in his first three at-bats, and tripled to start the ninth.
“He’s had some challenges this year and he’s answered a lot of them,” Banister said.
Delino DeShields had a career-high four hits, finishing a homer shy of the cycle, and Prince Fielder added a solo homer.
Harrison (1-1) also contributed with his bat, pushing runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt in a three-run second and reaching on a two-out error in the fifth as another run scored.
The Rangers were concerned about Harrison’s lack of velocity July 8 against Arizona, with his fastball topping out at 87 mph but often a tick slower. His spot in the rotation was under heavy scrutiny entering his outing at Colorado.
One thought was that maybe some more time in the minors would help him get stronger after essentially not pitching for more than two seasons, though Harrison isn’t fond of the idea of returning to Triple A or Double A.
That’s where he spent 30 days in June, and fellow lefty Martin Perez wasn’t far behind him on his way back from Tommy John surgery. But Perez was thought to be closer than Harrison to his pre-surgery form.
Perez gave reason for optimism Friday in his 2015 debut — allowing three runs in five innings — and expects to be better Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series at Coors Field.
Harrison upped the ante for rehab partner Perez, who doesn’t expect his elbow to feel 100 percent this season but hasn’t felt any pain when he pitches.
There is some tightness afterward, par for the course for pitchers coming off an elbow ligament replacement, but he and the Rangers aren’t worried about another injury.
A second elbow issue was Perez’s primary concern throughout his rehab process, so he took a thoughtful approach to it. He never tried to beat the Rangers’ plan for him or urge them to let him come back early.
“Because if I take more time, it’s better for my arm,” Perez said. “Now, I feel the difference, and that’s why I don’t feel pain in my elbow. It feels good, man.”
He also had more time to work on his command, something that most who have Tommy John surgery find difficult to harness.
Former Rangers relievers Eddie Guardado and Joe Nathan said that it took them 18 months to feel good about their command, but Perez feels like he is ahead of that schedule.
When he missed last week at Houston, it was usually down. He didn’t spot his fastball as well as he needed, but a mechanical adjustment Sunday during his between-starts bullpen session should help with that.
He will be taller during his delivery, something that was the key to his success early last season.
“I feel again like I felt last year — comfortable,” Perez said. “That makes me happy.”
So did his first session of live batting practice back in the spring. Until then, he had some doubts about how successful his comeback would be, but the radar gun let him know he would be OK.
“I was like, ‘Wow. This is amazing,’” Perez said. “My first live BP I threw 95. I was like, ‘Everybody should have Tommy John.’”
Banister, no stranger to serious injuries, was thrilled to see Harrison pitch July 8 against Arizona and come out of the game healthy. Banister also had a good feeling about Perez’s effort against the Astros.
“I’ve got a great appreciation for any guy that has spent time on the DL, been reconstructed, and had to fight his way back and spent all the lonely hours that it takes to come back,” Banister said.
Jeff Wilson, 817-390-7760
Cycling Rangers
Shin-Soo-Choo on Tuesday night became the eighth Texas player to hit for the cycle:
Player | Date | Opp. | Order |
Oddibe McDowell | July 23, 1985 | CLE | 2B, 1B, 3B, 1B, HR |
Mark Teixeira | Aug. 17, 2004 | CLE | 2B, 3B, HR, 1B |
Gary Matthews Jr. | Sept. 13, 2006 | @ DET | 1B, 2B, 3B, HR |
Ian Kinsler | April 15, 2009 | BAL | 2B, HR, 1B, 1B, 3B, 2B |
Bengie Molina | July 16, 2010 | @ BOS | 1B, 2B, HR, 3B |
Adrian Beltre | Aug. 23, 2012 | MIN | 3B, 2B, HR, 1B |
Alex Rios | Sept. 23, 2013 | HOU | 2B, 1B, HR, 3B |
Shin-Soo Choo | July 21, 2015 | @ COL | 2B, HR, 1B, 3B |
This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 11:09 PM with the headline "Harrison, Choo shine as Rangers roll past Rockies."