Five runs in the fourth inning.
Nine runs in the sixth.
Ten in the eighth.
Six more in the ninth.
The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace and became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.
Trailing 3-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, Texas couldn't be stopped. Finally, the last-place Rangers did something right.
Texas kept right on hitting in the second game, too, although at a decidedly tamer pace. Travis Metcalf drove in four runs and the Rangers used a three-run eighth for a 9-7 victory and a sweep.
Texas set an AL record for runs in a doubleheader, surpassing the 36 scored by Detroit in 1937.
The Rangers had 11 hits in the second game, including three by Michael Young. The nightcap, however, will forever be regarded as a postscript to the incredible opener.
It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since the Chicago Colts set the major league mark in a 36-7 rout of Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Hours after announcing manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season, the Orioles absorbed the most lopsided loss in franchise history and set a team record for hits allowed in a game, with 29.
The Rangers had totaled 28 runs in their previous nine games, including two runs on seven hits in their last two.
The Rangers set a team record for runs scored in a doubleheader - before the second game even started.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, the bottom two batters in Texas' lineup, each homered twice and finished with seven RBIs. The last time two teammates had as many as seven RBIs in a game was 1962, when Elston Howard had eight and Mickey Mantle added seven for the New York Yankees against the Kansas City Athletics.
David Murphy had five of the Rangers' 29 hits, the most by a major league team since Milwaukee had 31 in a 22-2 victory over Toronto on Aug. 28, 1992, according to Elias.
Texas' 30 RBIs set a major league record. The Rangers had 57 at-bats, tying the AL mark for a nine-inning game set by Milwaukee in its 1992 rout of Toronto.
The Rangers added five points to their team batting average, raising it to .258. They finished with more runs than outs made (27).
Baltimore's ERA went from 4.39 to 4.60.
Kason Gabbard (6-1) allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. He is 2-1 in six starts since Texas acquired him from Boston on July 31.
Even with the one-sided score, there was a save. Wes Littleton earned his second career save and first this season by pitching three scoreless innings.
Texas erased a 3-0 deficit by batting around in a five-run fourth. Saltalamacchia hit a two-run single and, after a visit from pitching coach Leo Mazzone, Daniel Cabrera (9-13) gave up a three-run homer to Vazquez.
Texas got 10 hits - matching a club record for one inning - in the sixth and went up 14-3.
Cabrera left after serving up a home run to Saltalamacchia. Brian Burres yielded two singles and a walk before Byrd hit his third career slam. Saltalamacchia, Vazquez, Frank Catalanotto and Ian Kinsler added RBI singles.
Texas got seven hits in the eighth. Metcalf hit his first career slam and Saltalamacchia added a three-run shot.
Vazquez's second homer highlighted a six-run ninth.
It is Simply Unbelievable how hot one team can get for one single game! I remember watching the game when it was 15-3, I didn't watch because the game was over. I turn the television back on a little later and the Score is 30-3! Wow! And when you consdider that Texas actually trailed 3-0 in the ballgame, it becomes even more unbelievable. My head is spinning thinking about all of the statistics about this game! Simply Unbelievable!
No comments:
Post a Comment