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Texas Rangers’ “Out Of Position” Pitchers Improve The Team’s Position Over The Angels in AL West

ARLINGTON - Scott Feldman, who couldn’t win a spot in the Rangers’ starting rotation during the spring, threw six shutout innings on Sunday against an Angels team that came in second in the A.L. in hitting. With closer Frank Francisco on the disabled list and interim closer C.J. Wilson having pitched 3.1 innings the last four days, Darren O’Day earned his first career save. In the middle, Jason Jennings finally made his first appearance of the homestand and earned his first win in two seasons.

Four Texas pitchers combined to outduel Jered Weaver, who began the day third in the league in ERA and in opponents’ batting average among starters, and hand LAA its first shutout of the season.

“We expect everyone in this clubhouse to contribute,” Ian Kinsler said. “That’s why we’re all here.”

Here would happen to be four and a half games ahead of second-place Los Angeles. In sweeping the weekend series before more than 104,000 paying customers, the ‘09 Rangers already have more wins this season in Arlington against the Angels than the ‘08 Rangers (2).

When Feldman was hustled into the rotation to sub for the ailing Kris Benson in late April, the Rangers were 6-8. His ERA in two forgettable relief appearances to that points was 12.15. In the five starts since, Feldman has an ERA of 2.17, has held batters to a .184 batting average and is 3-0.

Sunday’s Rangers win represented Feldman’s third quality start. That might have led the Rangers in mid-May in recent seasons. Instead, he ranks third behind Kevin Millwood’s six and Vicente Padilla’s four.

“You see the guys doing well; it’s not pressure,” said Feldman, who threw 108 pitches – one off his season and career high. “You want to do well ’cause you want to keep it going. You learn from the other guys out there, see what they’re doing, and try to build on it.”

His only real jam came in the sixth inning, when he faced switch-hitting Kendry Morales with two out and runners on first and third in a scoreless game. Feldman got ahead 1-and-2 but missed inside on two four-seam fastballs to run the count full. Kendry sent the next fastball – like the others, 91 mph and on the inside portion of the plate – high down the right-field line. Kinsler tracked it while running into foul ground and snapped it out of the air near the stands to end the threat.

That was Feldman’s final batter. In came Jennings, a starter since reaching the majors with Colorado in 2002 but now Texas’ main right-handed long man in the bullpen. With successful starting pitching comes limited opportunities for Jennings. He recently has been on the NHRA pitching schedule (Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!) and finally made his first appearance of the homestand.

“It’s fun to watch, but at the same time I’m a competitor,” Jennings said. “I want to be a part of it, help out.”

He retired the Angels in the seventh allowing only a two-out single to Gary Matthews. With the Rangers producing a run in their half of the seventh and relievers Eddie Guardado and O’Day finishing off L.A. without a run, Jennings became a winning pitcher for the first time in his two seasons in Texas. His last previous victory came in July 2007 as a Houston Astro.

Jennings has a 3.24 ERA in 11 relief appearances. Take away one game at Baltimore in which he surrendered four earned runs in 2.2 innings, and the Mesquite Poteet product has allowed two earned runs in 14 innings.

“It’s tough to get used to a new role,” he said. “You go seven days without pitching, you try to keep yourself sharp. Keep yourself mentally sharp. Ready to jump in at any point. I feel like I’ve done a good enough job so far.”

O’Day followed Guardado, who walked Bobby Abreu after setting down Chone Figgins and Erick Aybar to open the eighth inning. O’Day got Torii Hunter to tap back to the mound to end the inning.

While Wilson warmed in the bottom of the eighth, the Rangers increased their lead to 3-0. O’Day came back out in the ninth.

Wilson earned saves for Millwood on Friday night and for Padilla on Saturday evening. Those followed working the final two innings in Wednesday night’s extra-inning win over Seattle.

“I was ready to go if they needed me,” Wilson said. “It was kind of contingent on if something happened.”

Nothing happened because O’Day, who pitched for the Angels last season, went 1-2-3. That included outs against Morales (who homered off him on Friday night) and Mike Napoli (who singled off him on Friday).

“I think the other night I was a little too excited, to get in there in that game, and I wasn’t myself,” O’Day said. “That’s what Mike Maddux told me going out there: Just be yourself. I played with Kendry last year, and I had confidence I could get him out after seeing him that much.”

Since coming to Texas following his release from the New York Mets in mid-April, O’Day has allowed two earned runs in 10.1 innings.

“I want to pitch in tight situations,” O’Day said, “and it’s worked out pretty well.”