The Depot: Rangers-Angels Live Game Blog, News, Notes and Noontime Prayer Vigil for AL West Race

11:30: The home run pool is open. And it’s glistening under this strange yellow light up in the sky. I’m not sure what you would call it, but it’s not the usual gray we are used to.

12:30: With runners on the corners and one out, Marlon Byrd takes a contested called third strike and it looks like first inning opportunity might evaporate. Then Hank Blalock bloops a two-out, two-strike single to left field for a hit. He drove in the winning run last night and has put the Rangers on top today. And, so, for all the complaining about his disappointing performance this season, there are reasons why you keep veterans around.

12:34: Another two-out, two-strike hit for Rangers, this one from Nelson Cruz. He had been in a 3-for-30 slump.  First multi-run inning for the Rangers since the first game of last Sunday’s doubleheader. It’s the first time they’ve scored as many as three runs in an inning since the ninth inning of a 10-0 win over Cleveland on Sept. 9. Quite a stretch.

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The Brunch Time Homer Pool

Or, as an alternate title, the “Can The Rangers Get Back to the Fringes of the AL West Race Homer Pool?”

Or, if you’d like: The “Can the Rangers Clinch Their First Winning Season Since 2004 Homer Pool?”

Anywhoo, here we go: LF Julio Borbon, SS Elvis Andrus, DH David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd, 1B Hank Blalock, 2B Ian Kinsler, RF Nelson Cruz, 3B Chris Davis, C Ivan Rodriguez and pitching for the Rangers … Jack Daddy’s son, LHP Derek Holland.