Post-Game Show: Rangers 11, Twins 1

• Box score • A.L. wild-card standings • A.L. West standings

Story of the Game

The Rangers displayed their many talents in the 11-1 clubbing of Minnesota on Thurday night that sent them on the road with a series split. Home runs to all fields. Diving catches in the early innings while the outcome was in doubt. Julio Borbon’s first career homer. Neftali Feliz’s almost mystical ability to record two outs on two pitches. (“When you have a weapon on your shoulder like he has,” manager Ron Washington said, “you can be cool.”)

But another story was told in the bottom of the eighth, the Rangers owning a 10-run lead for only the third time this season. Marlon Byrd could have called it a night, given his third career multi-HR game and his diving catch in the third inning. Instead, he followed a leadoff nubber to the mound by charging down the line like he was near the end zone back at Sprayberry High in Marietta, Ga. And Hank Blalock did likewise despite only his second three-hit night of the year, his first since July 1. With two out, his attempt for a fourth hit ended with him sliding and tumbling over the bag. Both were outs but surely sent a message to the growing collection of fuzzy-cheeked Texas talent.

“Hopefully, they’re watching,” Byrd said. “If you watch the Yankees, you watch all the teams that have won … Jeter … It doesn’t matter what inning it is. It doesn’t matter what the score is. He’s running full speed down the first base line. That’s what type of team we have. I believe the maturation of this team over the past three years since Wash has come in … it’s a different mindset here now.”

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Rangers-Twins In-Game Blog, News, Notes

ARLINGTON - Don’t worry. I think Evan is just catching up on his laundry before heading out on the next road trip. He has already been busy  from his palatial estate, confirming that Triple-A Oklahoma’s Jose Vallejo is the player to be named later sent to Houston in the Pudge Rodriguez trade. And he linked to the Houston TV report in which the Purkes addressed their perspective of the recent draft negotitations.

And we’ve gathered some notes here at Rangers Ballpark regarding the activation of Nelson Cruz, what could happen at DH and at first base.

For Thursday night’s series finale with the Minnesota Twins, no Justin Morneau or Jason Kubel in the lineup against Derek Holland.

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Afternoon Rangers Notes on Possibilities at DH, 1B

ARLINGTON - Rangers manager Ron Washington indicated Andruw Jones and Julio Borbon could become a DH platoon since Borbon has remained on the roster following Thursday’s activation of Nelson Cruz from the disabled list. Washington also said he’s about ready to allow Jones to give Hank Blalock a day off at first base against left-handed pitching.

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Combo Cruz-Borbon Update and Rangers HR Pool

ARLINGTON - Nelson Cruz has been activited and is in Thursday night’s lineup along with DH Julio Borbon (not to mention Ian Kinsler moved up to fifth). A pitcher will be sent to Triple-A Oklahoma sometime before game time (Moscoso?).

The lineup: 1. Julio Borbon, dh; 2. Michael Young, 3b; 3. Josh Hamilton, cf; 4. Marlon Byrd, lf; 5. Ian Kinsler, 2b; 6. Nelson Cruz, rf; 7. Hank Blalock, 1b; 8. Taylor Teagarden, c; 9. Elvis Andrus, ss.

Matt Purke’s Father Discusses Rangers Negotiations

Lawrence Purke says the club knew it would take between $7.2-7.5 million to sign his son and that the Rangers simply never got that far. No indication whether Rangers simply underestimated the Purkes resolve or anything else of a more nefarious origin.

Rangers Send INF Jose Vallejo to Houston

Don’t really have much more than that. Vallejo cleared trade waivers and will join the Houston organization. The Rangers sent RHP Matt Nevarez to Houston earlier in the week.

About Last Night: This and That from Texas Rangers 5-4 Loss to Minnesota Twins

The poster boy for the Rangers laissez-faire approach to pitch counts is RHP Kevin Millwood, who is third in the AL in pitches thrown per game. Now the question becomes:  Do the Rangers need to reel him back in a little?

On Wednesday, when the game-time temperature was a steamy 98 degrees, Millwood threw 113 pitches in 5.2 innings, eventually losing a 4-1 lead in the sixth after laboring through a 34-pitch fifth inning. He appeared to be worn down early in the sixth, but it wasn’t until the game was tied that he was pulled.

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Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/20)

Triple-A: Colorado Springs 13 @ Oklahoma City 3

RHP Kris Benson (3-3; 5.91) took the loss on a six hit, five walk, nine run performance in three innings of work. RHP Josh Rupe (3-7; 7.13) also struggled, allowing three runs in three innings of relief. But LHP A.J. Murray (2-1; 3.22) finally shut the Sky Sox down over the final third of the game, allowing three hits and an unearned run.

1B Chris Davis (.329/.425/.541) singled twice and walked in five trips. He came in to score on a Brandon Boggs (.267/.384/.400) homer, who finished 1-3 with a walk. DH Justin Smoak (.236/.346/.354) singled once in four plate appearances, but RF Nelson Cruz stayed hitless in his rehab assignment, going 0-5 with three strikeouts.

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Post-Game Show: Twins 5, Rangers 4

D-tails
•Boxscore, AL West standings, Wild Card standings

Story of the Game
For the second time in three nights, the Rangers lost a significant middle-innings lead and couldn’t rally back against the Twins. On Wednesday, the Rangers took a 4-1 lead to the sixth inning, but rapidly-tiring RHP Kevin Millwood simply couldn’t get the final out of the inning. The Twins strung together three doubles and a single against Millwood, whose pitch count rocketed to 113 in the long inning. No. 9 hitter 2B Nick Punto singled to score the tying run, then after Millwood left, SS Orlando Cabrera singled to score the go-ahead run.

Minnesota pitchers retired the last 10 Rangers in a row, starting with PH Andruw Jones, who bounced into an inning-ending double play with two men on in the sixth.

The loss dropped the Rangers a game behind Boston in the AL Wild Card race and a season-high 6.5 games behind Los Angeles in the AL West.

“I’ll take my chances most nights with a three- or four-run lead in the sixth inning,” manager Ron Washington said. “We just couldn’t stop them tonight.”

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