Recap: Oakland vs. Texas
Sports Network | September 13, 2008
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Matt Harrison threw his first career shutout, a five-hitter, to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-0 win over Oakland in the second of four games with the Athletics.
The rookie left-hander Harrison (8-3) walked four and struck out five for the Rangers, who have won three of four. Harrison had previously thrown eight shutout innings on August 16 against Tampa Bay.
Taylor Teagarden and Hank Blalock each hit a solo homer for Texas, while Chris Davis finished with two hits and two runs batted in.
Greg Smith (7-15) took the loss after surrendering six runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Kurt Suzuki had two of the five hits for Oakland, which has dropped two straight contests.
Blalock put Texas on the scoreboard in the second inning with his seventh homer of the season, and third in as many games. Teagarden added his fifth of the year in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.
Smith's start began to unravel in the fourth, after he loaded the bases with a double to Josh Hamilton, a Marlon Byrd single and a walk to Nelson Cruz. Blalock followed with a deep fly to right field that served as a sacrifice fly, while Gerald Laird followed with another sac fly. Davis then doubled in Cruz for a 5-0 Rangers advantage.
Davis tripled in Laird in the sixth inning, after Laird had doubled, which prompted Smith to be removed from the game. Jeff Gray came on in relief, but ran into trouble in the seventh when the Rangers loaded the bases on three singles. Gray then plunked Cruz in the hand to force in a run for a seven-run cushion.
Harrison, meanwhile, worked out of a few potentially dangerous situations. He stranded runners on first and third in the second, and worked around a two-out double in the third. He got a key double play in the fourth with no outs and two runners on, then struck out Jack Hannahan to end the frame.
Harrison settled down from there, though in the ninth gave up a two-out single to Suzuki and walked Bobby Crosby. However, he was left in the game and Texas shortstop Michael Young snagged a liner from Hannahan to end the contest.
Harrison is the first rookie left-hander in Rangers history to win eight games in a single season...The Rangers stranded five runners, while Oakland left seven on base...Texas turned two double plays, giving the Rangers 180 this season. That leads the major leagues and set a new club record.
