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Millwood Is Texas Rangers’ Stopper In More Than One Way

ARLINGTON - Evan has already dissed the idea of Kevin Millwood being named to the A.L. All-Star team. And Millwood shrugged at the notion after Tuesday night’s 6-1 win over the Astros: “If I do, great. If I don’t, I get four days off.”

Well, the man deserves some kind of recognition or Congressional Medal for lowering his Ballpark ERA through eight starts this season to 2.08. Tuesday night’s effort marked his 10^th quality start in 14 overall outings, his fourth consecutive. He’s 7-4 with three straight wins and hasn’t lost in almost a month.

Maybe the way he bats down balls hit through the middle, two more on Tuesday night, he should be up for a goalie berth in the MLS All-Star Game.

“If I keep sticking it out there, it’s going to be a nub before long,” Millwood noted.

Game-time temperature was 98 degrees, the hottest so far yet maybe not the hottest of this series. But Millwood grew up just west of Charlotte, N.C., and considers this relatively comfortable because of the lower humidity. Not that you can tell by looking at him on the mound.

“I’m going to sweat in a refrigerator,” he said.

He was in position to sweat early, giving up a leadoff double to Michael Bourn followed by a walk to Miguel Tejeda. But he struck out Hunter Pence, struck out Carlos Lee, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia ended the threat by throwing out Bourn trying to steal third on strike three to Lee.

It was an indication of the evening’s coming events. Millwood retired the side in order only twice in his seven innings and 115 pitches. But aside from Pudge Rodriguez’s home run leading off the fifth, Houston never capaitalized against him or Jason Jennings.

“It was classic Millwood,” Michael Young said. “He struggled with his command in the first two, and he battles back and regroups and makes a great adjustment. That’s why he’s the leader of our staff. That’s why the rest of our pitchers feed off him.”

Millwood’s seven wins tie him for fourth in the league. He figures to get three more starts – against San Francisco, San Diego and Tampa Bay – before the All-Star squads are chosen on Sunday, July 5. His overall ERA of 2.62 ranks sixth in the league.

These last three Millwood wins have followed Rangers losses, the last two halting two-game losing streaks. In his last four starts, he has lowered his ERA from 3.25. Tuesday’s effort also snuffed out any Houston hopes of matching the Rangers’ recent sweep at Minute Maid Park and snatching the Silver Boot through run differential. (Does each Ranger get to take the Boot home for a day after the season?)

The best season ERA compiled by a Texas starter at Rangers Ballpark is 2.96 by Kenny Rogers in 1995. Rogers is also the most recent Rangers pitcher to be selected to the All-Star team, four years ago.

Meanwhile, no one is going to convince Millwood to let balls hit back up the middle go by.

“It’s instinct,” manager Ron Washington said, “like Hamilton running into walls.”

Elvis Andrus said he has tried: “I tell him all the time, ‘If it’s a ground ball, I’ve got it.’ And he’s like, ‘I can’t help it.’ ”

No problem for Young: “He keeps getting outs.”

Millwood’s second deflection on Tuesday night brought Washington and trainer Jamie Reed to the mound for a conference. Sort of.

“My finger was a little bit numb and just needed a minute or two,” Millwood said.

Enter crew chief Tim Tschida.

“He was just saying at least pretend like we’re talking about your finger because we weren’t,” Millwood said.