Ian Hunter will join the liveblog as soon as he gets home from his day job capturing blue jays that try to fly into passenger jet engines on the Pearson Airport runway.
In the meantime, here's your preview of today's game from someone who doesn't actually follow baseball all that closely.
The Rangers remained 4 games back of Boston in the AL Wild Card race after losing an 18-10 barnburner to the Jays on Monday.
The star of the game was Blue Jays DH Adam Lind, who homered twice and drove in eight runs in one of the few recent highlights of the season for Toronto.
Lind is currently batting .373 with three homers, six doubles and 15 RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak.
Yesterday was Lind's second career multihomer game -- the other was June 8, also in Arlington. In four games at Rangers Ballpark this year, Lind is batting .471 with five homers, two doubles and 14 RBIs.
Hey guess what? I just noticed this is a doubleheader. Cool, you don't see those often anymore. We're only liveblogging the first game, however.
Anyway, let's look at the pitchers matching up in the first game.
Dustin Nippert struggled with his control Thursday against the New York Yankees, allowing two runs, four hits and a career-high seven walks in 3 2/3 innings of a 7-2 win.
Rzepczynski gave up two runs and three hits in six innings of a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday, but didn't receive a decision. The left-hander was a little shaky, allowing a career-high five walks, but he was able to pitch out of trouble thanks to seven strikeouts.
Let's take a look at the lineups for this game.
Toronto lineup
M. Scutaro - SS
A. Hill - 2B
A. Lind - DH
L. Overbay - 1B
V. Wells - CF
R. Barajas - C
J. Bautista - RF
T. Snider - LF
J. McDonald - 3B
Texas lineup
I. Kinsler - 2B
M. Young - 3B
J. Hamilton - CF
M. Byrd - LF
N. Cruz - RF
I. Rodriguez - DH
T. Teagarden - C
C. Davis - 1B
E. Andrus - SS
True, 18-10 games don't happen every day.
Then again, Rangers Ballpark is a hitters park so you never know.
Check out the Rangers' home-road hitting splits: they're batting .278 with a .343 On-base percentage and a .491 slugging percentage at home, compared to .241/.297/.417 on the road
Marco Scutaro flies out to deep center for the first out of the ballgame.
Aaron Hill slices a 1-2 pitch to right field for a base hit.
Now, "Hammerin" Adam Lind is up to bat for the Jays
Lind whiffs on a high 92MPH fastball for out #2
So i guess there's a baseball game this afternoon?
Thanks for holding down the fort Scott, I couldn't escape my overlords until 5pm.
Just as well, I lost about 90% of the audience that was here when I started.
As soon as they figured out a basketball guy was doing this, they left en masse.
Overbay flies out to deep CF for out numero trois.
Anyway, while you were gone, Adam Lind hit a five-run home run and then cured a lady in the front row of Lupus.
Is there anything Adam Lind CAN'T DO?
Damn that was a sick game for him last night, I was convinced he was going to hit 2 Grand Slames.
OK, I'm off, folks. You're in good hands with BlueJayHunter, regardless of what some shifty insurance company says.
Thanks Scott, I appreciate it!
Kinsler, Young and Hamilton to lead it off for the Rangers.
Kinsler jumps ahead in the count 2-0.
Gone - solo HR for Ian Kinsler.
You could hear that Kinsler hit the sweet spot on that one - it echoed throughout the ballpark.
R-Zep not giving in to the Rangers, nibbling the outside corner. Works Michael Young to a full count.
Tune in Tuesday at 5:00 PM ET as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Texas Rangers. Scheduled starters are Marc Rzepczynski (2-3, 3.58 ERA) for Toronto and Dustin Nippert (4-2, 4.02 ERA) for Texas. Ian Hunter from The Blue Jay Hunter will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
Most 2-strike hits in the majors? tied for the lead - Adam Lind #Jays - Jacoby Ellsbury #RedSoxby mlbCoz via twitter 9/1/2009 9:11:06 PM
