Rangers hope to put away Blue Jays
A man who jokes about having difficulty remembering what happened just last week offered a quick reminder Friday night of where the Texas Rangers were five years ago.
They had returned home from St. Petersburg, Fla., with two road victories to open the American League Division Series and with two chances to clinch the best-of-five series in their home ballpark.
Tampa Bay returned the favor by winning both games at Globe Life Park to force a Game 5 back in Florida, which the Rangers won. Up 2-0 in this year’s ALDS, the Rangers would prefer to not repeat 2010.
“But if we have to we will,” said left fielder Josh Hamilton, one of five carryovers from the 2010 team that went to the World Series. “But I guarantee the guys are focused and do what they need to do and come in Sunday and try to win a ballgame.”
Postseason wins are tough to come by, however, and the Toronto Blue Jays aren’t a pushover. To win one of the next two games Sunday and Monday, the Rangers have to continue to dodge the Blue Jays’ long-ball threat and get more production from the middle of their order with Adrian Beltre’s status unknown.
The Rangers, rest assured, recognize that they haven’t clinched anything yet.
“We’ve still got work to do. They’re not going to let up,” designated hitter Prince Fielder said. “You can’t let up on a team like that. They’re too explosive. Their pitching is too good. We’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Beltre’s status remains unknown as he copes with a lower back strain. He was told to stay home Saturday as both team worked out on the scheduled travel day, and the Rangers said that he is still day-to-day.
“You can never count Adrian out of anything,” manager Jeff Banister said.
Beltre batted third in Game 1 against left-hander David Price before exiting in the third inning and likely would have batted fourth in Game 2 against right-hander Marcus Stroman.
The Rangers filled his void Friday with first baseman Mitch Moreland batting fourth. Fielder batted third, shortstop Elvis Andrus batted fifth and Hamilton hit sixth.
They combined to go 2 for 18 in Game 2, and Fielder and Hamilton are a combined 1 for 18 in the first two games. Hamilton is riding an 0-for-30 postseason skid that dates to Game 7 of the 2011 World Series.
“It’s two games,” said Hamilton, who overcome a poor 2010 ALDS to be the MVP of the AL Championship Series. “It’s either you’re on or you’re not in the playoffs. You’ve got two games, a day off, and a couple more games. It’s kind of spread out.
“It’d be good to get started on Sunday.”
Fielder is just a .191 career hitter in the postseason over 152 at-bats, not a small sample size. He has been kept primarily on the ground by Blue Jays pitchers so far this series, but the important thing for him is 2-0.
“I’m fine,” Fielder said. “My team is 2-0, so I’m fine. I’m right there. I’m right on it. That’s what it’s about.”
We’ve got to have every player do what they can to help you win. Adrian’s a big part, but if the whole team can pick up, that helps out a lot.
Designated hitter Prince Fielder
The Rangers have managed 11 runs in the first two games and have found their offense primarily at the bottom of the lineup, which is a good sign. Banister said that the group has found a way while the big guns have been the focus of the Blue Jays’ pitchers.
If the lower half can keep it up while the middle of the order finds its stride, the Rangers’ offense would be even more dangerous.
“I’m sure we have a group of hitters in our lineup that other ballclubs would say, ‘Hey, let’s make the other guys beat us,’ ” Banister said. “That’s when you see other people step up and find a way. … I believe there’s still more in the tank.”
The Rangers could use it, even with a 2-0 series lead. Those who remember 2010 know that this series isn’t over, and they also don’t want to go back on the road to have to close out this ALDS.
“Back then, especially being our first playoff experience, we thought we had the series already,” Andrus said. “I think that we have a lot more experience in here, and we just have to continue to play hard and play inning by inning.”
Jeff Wilson: 817-390-7760, @JeffWilson_FWST
This story was originally published October 10, 2015 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Rangers hope to put away Blue Jays."