Rangers notes: Six-run seventh started with a patient approach for Texas
Patience at the plate can be a tedious exercise when you’re desperately hoping to blow a game wide open with one big swing.
The Texas Rangers’ offense, however, took a patient approach in the seventh Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels and it paid off in a big way. The Rangers scored six runs in the inning to take a commanding seven-run lead and beat the Angels 9-2 to claim the American League West title at Globe Life Park.
Clinging to a 3-2 lead, the Rangers batted around in the seventh. It started with Chris Gimenez who led off with a full-count walk. Delino DeShields followed with a bunt single, which forced the Angels to replace Cam Bedrosian with left-hander Cesar Ramos.
Shin-Soo Choo walked on five pitches to load the bases for Prince Fielder. He worked the count full before fouling off three pitches. He took Ramos’ 83 mph slider for a ball to walk in the first run in the inning.
“Everybody was just doing whatever they could to win,” said Fielder, who had two RBIs, including one on a first-inning single that cut the Angels’ lead to 2-1. “We’re being aggressive but patient at the same time. Those lefties pitched me tough, but I was able to get the walk and we got the run and we had the big inning.”
Right-hander Mike Morin replaced Ramos to face Adrian Beltre, who scorched a 2-2 pitch to third baseman David Freese, who fell down after fielding the ball and had no play to make.
That gave Texas a 5-2 lead and the rout was on. Mitch Moreland’s sacrifice fly made it 6-2. An 0-2 single by Josh Hamilton and first-pitch double to the left-field corner by Elvis Andrus scored three more to put the game away.
“Gimenez set the tone with a walk,” said Choo, who reached base three times Sunday and has a team-high 33 games reaching base three or more times. “We had a good opportunity in that inning and everybody was focused and had a great at-bat. That’s what it was.”
Choo reached base in the last 31 games and 53 of the last 55.
Down the stretch
Choo and Beltre have been a powerful one-two punch in the lineup the last three weeks of the season. Choo hit .400 with four doubles, five homers and 17 RBIs in 21 games. Beltre hit .427 with 11 doubles, five homers, and 33 RBIs in 22 games.
Historic Hamels
Rangers ace Cole Hamels turned in his second complete game of the season. After a double in the second inning, Hamels held the Angels hitless the final seven innings, retiring 23 of the final 26 batters he faced. The Rangers won his final 10 starts, the most consecutive wins behind a Texas pitcher since Roger Pavlik in 1993.
That’s why he’s an ace. He’s pitched in big games before, he knows how to handle himself.
Angels center fielder Mike Trout on Cole Hamels
He showed what he’s really all about today. A shot bullpen and he took matters in his own hands and gave everybody a day off. It was fitting he was the last guy out there for the last out to win the division.
Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux on Cole Hamels
He did it to me when I was with Milwaukee. I’m just glad I’m on his team.
Rangers slugger Prince Fielder on Cole Hamels
Big crowds
The four-game series between the Rangers and Angels drew 162,600 total fans to Globe Life Park, including 45,772 for the Sunday finale.
The average attendance for the series was 40,650. The Rangers drew 2,491,875 fans in 2015, 15th out of 30 teams.
Freese it right there
David Freese, whom most Rangers’ fans still have nightmares about (see: 2011 World Series), made the last out for the Angels on Sunday with his groundout to second.
Stefan Stevenson, 817-390-7760
Twitter: @StevensonFWST
This story was originally published October 4, 2015 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Rangers notes: Six-run seventh started with a patient approach for Texas."